Business and Modern Slavery Conference 2025: Humanising the supply chain
1 October 2025
The Modern Slavery and Social Sustainability Research Group at Cardiff University hosted its fourth Business and Modern Slavery Conference on 9–10 September 2025 at Cardiff Business School.
Co-chaired by Dr Maryam Lotfi and Dr Anna Skeels, the event brought together around 80 global participants, including academics, policymakers, NGOs, and business leaders.
In their welcome address, Dr Lotfi and Dr Skeels reaffirmed the group’s mission to integrate supply chain risk management with survivor-centred research. The conference theme, Humanising the Supply Chain, set the tone for discussions on ethical and socially sustainable business practices.
Hosting the Business and Modern Slavery Conference 2025 demonstrated the Modern Slavery and Social Sustainability Research Group’s commitment to the development of this field and to this community.
Professor Mohan Sodhi (Bayes Business School, City St George’s, University of London) challenged attendees in his keynote lecture to rethink research approaches to modern slavery, questioning definitions, theoretical frameworks, and practical impact.
The first day of the conference featured a high-level industry panel with:
- Joshua Vuglar, Welsh Government
- Andrew Wallis OBE, CEO of Unseen
- Eleanor Harry, CEO of HACE
They reflected on the decade since the UK’s Modern Slavery Act, calling for stronger legislation and cross-sector collaboration. Parallel sessions displayed research from Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, and the US, highlighting the global scope of modern slavery and diverse academic approaches. Participants praised the richness of academic exchange and the opportunities for building new collaborations.
The second day of the conference included a publishing panel with leading journal editors and academics:
- Professor Joanne Meehan (University of Liverpool)
- Professor Alexander Trautrims (University of Nottingham)
- Professor Reza Zanjirani Farahani (Paris School of Business)
- Professor Andrew Crane (University of Bath)
These specialists offered guidance on navigating the publication process and increasing research impact. Professor Jo Meehan noted the challenges early career researchers face in securing their first publication.
The afternoon PhD workshop, led by Professor Helen Walker, provided mentoring and feedback for 15 doctoral students. Discussions included responsible uses of AI in research and managing industry relationships when addressing sensitive topics.
Delegates described the conference as engaging, insightful, and inspiring.
The conference was the culmination of a year’s planning and teamwork by the Modern Slavery and Social Sustainability Research Group co-chairs, Dr Lotfi and Dr Skeels, alongside Professor Helen Walker and the group’s PhD researchers — Amir Salimi Babamiri, Amy Boote, and Zhe Li — as well as Beverly Francis, from the Executive Education Suite at Cardiff Business School.
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Dr Maryam Lotfi
Senior Lecturer of Sustainable Supply Chain Management and Deputy Head of Section Research, Impact and Innovation
