The Business and Modern Slavery Conference

Towards Humanising Supply Chains

  09th - 10 th September, 2025

Hosted by Modern Slavery and Social Sustainability Research Group, Cardiff University.

Cardiff, UK


We are delighted to welcome you to Cardiff, the dynamic capital of Wales, for the two-day conference, the fourth in a series dedicated to addressing the complex intersection of business and modern slavery. This year's theme, Towards Humanising Supply Chains—Reconciling People and Business, underscores our shared mission to reconcile ethical, humane practices with business operations, striving for a future where the well-being of people is integral to business success. The exploitation of vulnerable individuals through abusive labor practices remains an urgent global issue, one that demands the attention of scholars, policymakers, and business leaders. This conference provides a vital platform for engaging in meaningful dialogue, presenting cutting-edge research, and exploring innovative solutions. We invite participants from across business sub-disciplines and related fields to contribute to this essential conversation. Together, we will examine new avenues that dismantle harmful systems, while promoting sustainable, human-centered practices that reconcile the needs of both people and businesses. Over these two days, we will deepen our understanding of how businesses can move toward more human-centred practices and consider how to create value that benefits not just businesses but the people they impact. The conference will include speakers, parallel sessions for presentation of research, panels, EC researcher workshop and paper development workshop. This conference is an opportunity to foster collaboration, exchange ideas, and develop new strategies that ensure people and business can thrive together.

The conference will be organised by Moder Slavery and Social Sustainability Research Group at Cardiff University and will be held at Post Graduate Teaching Center at Cardiff Business School.

We look forward to welcoming you to Cardiff as we work together toward a more just and humane future.

Dr. Maryam Lotfi & Dr. Anna Skeels, co-directors of Moder Slavery and Social Sustainability Group

Dr. Maryam Lotfi

Dr. Maryam Lotfi

Dr. Anna Skeels

Dr. Anna Skeels

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Abstract submissions will be managed through EasyChair. Please click here to begin the submission process. If you don’t already have an EasyChair account, you may need to create one first. Abstracts should be approximately 500 words in length, excluding title, authors,figures, tables, and references.

As a developmental conference, we are interested in abstracts which are summaries of completed papers, works in progress, and proposals for future projects.

Relevant topics include (but are not limited to):

Modern slavery and supply chain management
Reporting modern slavery
Technology and modern slavery
Modern slavery, laws and regulation
Ethics and social responsibility
Marketing and consumer behaviour
Innovation and entrepreneurship
Finance and investment
Child labour
Modern slavery, and new approaches

Important Dates:

Abstracts submission opens:  January 06, 2025 
Abstracts submission deadline:  March 31, 2025  
Decisions sent to authors:  April 30, 2025
Registration opens:  May 01, 2025
Registration close:  June 30, 2025
Conference:  September 09-10, 2025

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

ManMohan S Sodhi

ManMohan S Sodhi

Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management
Bayes Business School, City St. George’s, University of London

Plenary panel 1

A multi-stakeholder perspective on business and modern slavery

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Joshua Vuglar Head of Modern Slavery and Workers’ Rights
Welsh Government

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Hilary Agg Senior partnership and policy manager
Unseen

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Anthony Hanley Senior Vice President
Global Supply Chain Compliance, Alcumus

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Eleanor Harry CEO
HACE

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Jenni Edwards CEO
ESC International

Plenary panel 2

Modern slavery research horizons: multi-disciplinary challenges and opportunities

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Andrew Crane Professor Professor, Management Marketing, Business & Society
University of Bath

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Joanne Meehan Professor of Responsible Procurement
University of Liverpool

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Alexander Trautrims Professor of Supply Chain Management
Nottingham University

PROGRAM (To be released in June 2025)

REGISTRATION

To register for the conference, click on the REGISTER TO ATTEND MSB202 button.

Registration opens: May 01, 2025


Conference Dinner

Join us for an evening of delightful cuisine and networking at the conference dinner.

Date: 09 September 2025

Time: 19:00-23:00

Venue: Corner Stone

Conference Dinner Venue

ORGANIZERS & SPONSORS

Conference Chair:   Dr. Maryam Lotfi (Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University)
Dr. Anna Skeels (SPARK, Cardiff University)
Program Committee:   Dr. Maryam Lotfi (Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University)
Dr. Anna Skeels (SPARK, Cardiff University)
Dr. Anthony Flynn (Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University)
Prof. Helen Walker (Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University)
Organising committee:   Miss. Amy Boote (Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University)
Mr. Amit Salimi Babamiri (Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University)
Mr. Zhe Li (Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University)
Mrs. Beverly Francis (Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University)

Sponsors:

Cardiff Business School
Modern Slavery and Social Sustainability Research Group
Data Lab for Social Good Research Group