Reducing Modern Slavery Risks in Supply Chains: Contributions from a Socio-technical Systems Perspective

Using socio-technical systems (STS) theory, this paper offers a critical perspective on how the interplay between social and technical systems in supply chains can be leveraged to gain valuable insights into addressing risks related to modern slavery. It elaborates on the complex recursive interactions among various elements of STS, shedding light on the emergence, perpetuation, and diffusion of modern slavery, as well as the socio-technical interventions available within supply chains. We develop a framework that conceptualizes the risk of modern slavery as the outcome of interactions among multiple systems, providing guidance for future research, policy development, and managerial strategies to address this pressing societal challenge. Importantly, multi-stakeholder initiatives, combining innovative approaches to both social and technical governance, are expected to be particularly important in mitigating modern slavery risks.