Modern slavery is a complex and concealed issue, challenging for research efforts exploring its full nature and extent. Research on sustainability tends to over-focus on economic and environmental aspects at the expense of social sustainability.
Whilst research groups and centres focusing on modern slavery exist, there is no dedicated research collaboration on modern slavery within the context of social sustainability in Wales. These fields have a shared focus on people, human rights, equity, diversity, inclusion and social cohesion.
Cardiff Business School is an AACSB International and AMBA-accredited business school with a clear public value purpose: to make a positive impact in the communities of Wales and the world.
SPARK is Cardiff University’s new social science research park; a state-of-the-art interactive space that brings together thirteen world-leading social science research centres.
With expertise in applied social science research, including education, health, civil society, labour markets, public policy, and innovation and with practitioners, policymakers and community stakeholders, SPARK acts as a catalyst for change by inspiring the out-of-the-ordinary thinking we need for the complex challenges of our time.
Working together, Cardiff Business School and SPARK have significant potential to establish and drive an international reputation for Cardiff University in research and real-world impact on modern slavery and social sustainability.
The unique legislative and policy context produced by the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 provides a conducive environment to explore both modern slavery and social sustainability feeding into ‘what works’ for both current and future generations
Aims
We will work with key partners across academia, industry, business, the public and voluntary sectors to build shared expertise and reputation - and to provide evidence-based solutions to challenges in - this field. As such, we will have significant potential to inform evidence-based policy and practice at multiple levels, making a positive impact for communities in Wales, the UK and on an international scale.
As a research group, we will:
- encourage and enable inter-disciplinary and multi-sector research collaboration at quality and with impact on policy and practice
- be action-focused, agile, well-positioned and equipped to quickly collaborate and respond to opportunities for research and funding as they arise
- adapt and innovate to develop and share relevant and effective methodologies and ethical positioning for impactful, safe research in this domain
- drive an international reputation for Cardiff University in research and real-world impact on modern slavery and social sustainability
Research
Modern slavery will be this Group’s primary priority research focus. Aligning with the declared sub-groups of the Welsh Government’s Anti-Slavery Forum for Wales (ASFW), research will be organised around the following themes:
- training and awareness
- victims and survivors
- prevention
- supply chains and international
However, the Research Group will also be open to proactively exploring other areas of interest and innovation in this field as well as in the broader domain of social sustainability.
With modern slavery a highly sensitive, high risk and dynamic, societal phenomenon, this group will also explore, adapt and innovate to develop and share relevant, effective methodologies and ethical positioning for impactful, safe research in this domain.
Projects
Challenges, Opportunities, and Pathways for Just Transition in China’s Food Supply Chains: Food System Transition Framework
Team: Dr Maryam Lotfi, Professor Peter Wells, Dr Danni Zhang, Ms Yuxin Wang
Funder: China Scholarship Council (CSC)
Period: 2025-2029
Migration, Labour Abuse, and Modern Slavery in Adult Social Care Settings in Wales
Team: Dr Sofia Vougioukalou, Dr Maryam Lotfi, Professor Paul Willis, Ms Sreya Chattopadhyay
Partners: Health and Care Research Wales & Welsh Government
Funding and Funder: £200000 - ESRC DTP Wales (WGSSS)
Period: 2025-2029
AI as a Catalyst for Change: Pioneering Social Sustainability in Global Supply Chains
Team: Dr Maryam Lotfi, Professor Yingli Wang, Dr JP Skeete, Mr Zhe Li
Funder: Funding: China Scholarship Council (CSC)
Period: 2024-2027
Social sustainability transitions in agri-food supply chains
Team: Dr JP Skeete, Dr Maryam Lotfi, Professor Vasco Sanchez Rodrigues, Ms Maram Al Harbi
Funder: Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, represented by the Ministry of Education and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Period: 2024-2027
Understanding and modelling the impact of consumer purchasing behaviour on the global supply chains' decisions in adapting anti-slavery practices
Team: Dr Maryam Lotfi, Professor Bahman Rostami Tabar, Professor Nicole Koenig-Lewis, Mr Amir Salimi Babamiri
Funding and Funder: £200000- ESRC DTP Wales (WGSSS)
Partner: UNSEEN, a UK based anti-slavery charity
Period: 2024-2027
Climate Change and Gender Inequality in the Fashion Supply Chain: An Ecofeminism Perspective
Team: Dr Maryam Lotfi, Professor Helen Walker, Dr Hakan Karaosman, Ms Amy Boote
Funder: ESRC Wales General (WGSSS)
Period: 2024-2027
Support for children with lived experience of modern slavery in England and Wales
Team: Dr Anna Skeels
Funder: UKRI Fellowship, Modern Slavery Policy and Evidence Centre (MSPEC) (£100,000)
Period: 2023
Modern slavery in South African construction sector
Team: Dr Noleen Pisa, Dr Maryam Lotfi, Ms Hemisha Makan
Partner: University of Johannesburg, South Africa
Period: 2023-2027
Modern slavery risk management in the hospitality sector: a moral legitimacy approach on hotel groups disclosure and an institutional logics approach on accepting responsibility
Dr Maryam Lotfi, main applicant and main investigator, Seedcorn fund of Global Collaboration, internal from Cardiff Business School (£5000), 2023.
This project is in collaboration with University of Queensland, Australia.
Netting Ethical Shrimp: How Technology Can Revolutionize Sustainable Seafood Practices
Dr Maryam Lotfi and Professor Yingli Wang, Public Value Engagement Fellowship funding of £5000, Internal Cardiff Business School Public Value Engagement Fellowship Scheme, (2023-2024).
This project is in collaboration with Bangladesh Agriculture University and Cardiff Metropolitan University.
Uncovering modern slavery in global supply chains - Dr Maryam Lotfi
How many engineering degrees do you need to become an expert on modern slavery? In the first episode of our new series, Peter speaks with Dr Maryam Lotfi, Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Supply Chain Management, about her background and the compassion driving her work on the hidden realities in global supply chains.
She also shares how her research shapes her teaching and role in establishing the Modern Slavery and Social Sustainability Research Group.
Meet the team
Research Group Co-leads
Dr Maryam Lotfi
Senior Lecturer of Sustainable Supply Chain Management and Deputy Head of Section Research, Impact and Innovation
Academic staff
Postgraduate students
Associated staff
Professor Vasco Sanchez Rodrigues
Head of the Logistics and Operations Management SectionProfessor in Sustainable Supply Chain Management
Dr Onur Tosun
Reader (Associate Professor) in Finance, Director of Sustainable Finance Research Group
Professor Yingli Wang
Pro-Dean for Research, Impact and InnovationProfessor in Logistics and Operations Management
Affiliates
UK
- Professor Donna Marshall
- Professor Alexandra Trautrims
- Professor Mohan Sodhi
- Dr Amin Vafadarnikjoo
- Professor Anita Franklin
- Dr Claire Lindsay
- Dr Marina Papalexi
- Dr Mahmoud Elmarzouky
- Professor Patricia Hynes
- Professor Hinrich Voss
- Professor Ryszard Piotrowicz
- Dr Guoqing Zhao
Europe
Asia
Australia and New Zealand
Africa
Non-academic and industry partners
- HACE: Data Changing Child Labour - Industrial Partner
- Anti-Slavery Wales Forum, Welsh Government - Mr Josh Vuglar, Head of Modern Slavery and Workers’ Rights
- ESC International - Ms Jennie Edwards, Managing Director
- National Trust - Mr Dan Ware, Procurement specialist
- Independent Child Trafficking Guardianship Service, National Child Trafficking Service, Barnardo's - Ms Sian Humphreys
- Cardiff County Council - Mr Jeffrey Norman, procurement, supply chains and expert witness for child criminal exploitation
- Unseen UK - Ms Lauren Saunders, Head of policy and research
- Action Sustainability - Ms Helen Carter
- Centre for Public Value Procurement
- Alcumus - Mr Anthony Hanley
- Free the Slaves - Dr Marta Furlan
External postgraduate students
News
- Business and Modern Slavery Conference 2025: Humanising the supply chain
- Cardiff University leads effort to tackle modern slavery in creative industry SMEs
- Dr Maryam Lotfi joins BSI committee to combat modern slavery
- Research aims to improve shrimp supply chain sustainability
- Symposium fosters cross-sector collaboration on modern slavery issues
- Dr Maryam Lotfi selected for prestigious Welsh Crucible programme
- New research group tackles modern slavery and social sustainability
- Anti-Slavery conference spearheads fight against modern slavery
Features
Events
Past Events
| Date | Event | About |
|---|---|---|
| 9-10 September 2025 | The Business and Modern Slavery Conference: Towards Humanising Supply Chains | We are excited to announce the fourth Business and Modern Slavery Conference hosted by the Modern Slavery and Social Sustainability Research Group at Cardiff University. |
| 18 October 2023 | 2023 Anti-Slavery Wales Conference | Hosted by Cardiff Business School in partnership with the Welsh Government, the police, and third sector organisations, including members of the Anti-Slavery Wales Forum, the conference will provide an opportunity to hear from and network with frontline practitioners and experts. |
| 27 July 2023 | Modern Slavery and Social Sustainability Research Group: Kick-off Workshop | Please join us for a Kick-Off Workshop for the Modern Slavery and Social Sustainability Research Group in Room 6.35, sbarc | spark, Cardiff University. The workshop will be facilitated by Dr Maryam Lotfi, Lecturer of Supply Chain Management from Cardiff business School and Dr Anna Skeels from SPARK. The workshop is supported by the Kickstarter Funding 2023 from Security, Crime and Intelligence Innovation and Institute. |
Publications
- Wang, Y. and Pettit, S. eds. 2022. Digital supply chain transformation: emerging technologies for sustainable growth. Cardiff: Cardiff University Press. (10.18573/book8)
- Bennett, S. T. , Hammer, N. and Jenkins, J. 2021. Rights without remedy: the disconnection of labour across multiple scales and domains. Work in the Global Economy 1 (1-2), pp.75-93. (10.1332/273241721X16286068772666)
- Colombo, L. A. , Bailey, A. R. and Gomes, M. V. P. 2023. Scaling in a post-growth era: Learning from Social Agricultural Cooperatives. Organization (10.1177/13505084221147480)
- de Lima, F. A. , Neutzling, D. M. and Gomes, M. 2021. Do organics standards have a real taste of sustainability? A critical essay. Journal of Rural Studies 81 , pp.89-98. (10.1016/j.jrurstud.2020.08.035)
- Guix, M. and Lotfi, M. 2025. Doing the right thing? The hotel industry’s management of, and reporting on, modern slavery. Tourism Management 107 105084. (10.1016/j.tourman.2024.105084)
- Hallett, S. 2016. ‘An uncomfortable comfortableness’: ‘care’, child protection and child sexual exploitation. British Journal of Social Work 46 (7), pp.2137-2152. (10.1093/bjsw/bcv136)
- Hallett, S. 2013. Child sexual exploitation in South East Wales: problems and solutions from the perspectives of young people and professionals. PhD Thesis , Cardiff University.
- Jenkins, J. 2019. Siddharth Kara modern slavery: a global perspective New York: Columbia University Press, 2017. 342pp. [Book review]. Organization Studies 40 (1), pp.147-149. (10.1177/0170840618789389)
- Lotfi, M. 2026. The oil price surge is just one symptom of a supply chain network that is not fit for this age of global tensions. [Online].The Conversation. (10.64628/AB.rxj6enpvh)Available at: https://doi.org/10.64628/AB.rxj6enpvh.
- Lotfi, M. and Boote, A. 2023. The unsustainable impact of patriarchy on the industry. Lampoon Magazine 27
- Lotfi, M. and Pisa, N. 2024. Child slavery in supply chains: Actors of the dirty scene. Journal of Transport and Supply Chain Management 18 a942. (10.4102/jtscm.v18i0.942)
- Lotfi, M. and Walker, H. 2026. Beyond paper compliance: why supply chains struggle to confront forced labour. www.restructurelab.org: Re:Structure Lab. Available at: https://www.restructurelab.org/policy-briefs/cooperation-and-punishment-bcf9y.
- Lotfi, M. and Walker, H. 2025. See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil? Barriers to modern slavery risk management in supply chains: an empirical investigation. Production Planning and Control 36 (8), pp.1044-1059. (10.1080/09537287.2024.2335496)
- Lotfi, M. , Walker, H. and Rendon-Sanchez, J. 2021. Supply chains’ failure in workers’ rights with regards to the SDG compass: a doughnut theory perspective. Sustainability 13 12526. (10.3390/su132212526)
- Mannay, D. et al. 2019. Enabling talk and reframing messages: working creatively with care experienced children and young people to recount and re-represent their everyday experiences. Child Care in Practice 25 (1), pp.51-63. (10.1080/13575279.2018.1521375)
- Maxwell, N. and Wallace, C. 2021. Child criminal exploitation in Wales.
- Maxwell, N. et al. 2019. A systematic map and synthesis review of child criminal exploitation. Project Report.[Online].National Safeguarding Panel: Wales.. Available at: https://cascadewales.org/report/a-systematic-map-and-synthesis-review-of-child-criminal-exploitation/.
- Ricketts, D. et al., 2013. Operative caries management in adults and children.. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 3 CD003808. (10.1002/14651858.CD003808.pub3)
- Riefler, R. , Tosun, O. K. and Baeckström, Y. 2023. The role of gender in sales behaviour: Evidence from institutional financial brokerage. Finance Research Letters 55 (Part A) 103914. (10.1016/j.frl.2023.103914)
- Rostami-Tabar, B. et al. 2022. Forecasting for social good. International Journal of Forecasting 38 (3), pp.1245-1257. (10.1016/j.ijforecast.2021.02.010)
- Strand, V. et al. 2026. Uniting for impact: business–NGO collaborations against modern slavery in supply chains. Supply Chain Management (10.1108/SCM-10-2025-1057)
- Strand, V. et al. 2024. A systematic literature review of modern slavery in supply chain management: State of the art, framework development and research opportunities. Journal of Cleaner Production 435 140301. (10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.140301)
- Tosun, O. , Lotfi, M. and Zanjirani Farahani, R. 2026. Can firms' anti-slavery and human rights' commitments in supply chains enhance financial performance?. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management 73 , pp.2362 - 2376. (10.1109/TEM.2026.3672545)
- Wang, Y. and Lotfi, M. 2025. How climate change and modern slavery interact in the supply chain: A conceptual model development through a systemic review. Business Ethics, the Environment and Responsibility 34 (4), pp.1516-1539. (10.1111/beer.12722)
