In October 2025, the in New Zealand brought together five experts from New Zealand and Australia for a panel discussion on ways to end modern slavery. The University serves as the UNAI Hub Chair for SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and the event was organised by Juncture: Dialogues on Inclusive Capitalism, a research centre within the University of Auckland Business School.
Ending modern slavery, trafficking and child labour is the focus of Target 8.7 under . Modern slavery shares characteristics with chattel slavery and involves severe exploitation for another¡¯s profit or gain.
The panel was invited to share practical solutions, recognising that people are trapped in modern slavery conditions both in New Zealand and within the global supply chains behind products sold locally. Audience participation included questions submitted via Slido and focused table discussions. A high-quality video extended the reach of the conversation, and journalists were invited to attend resulting in media coverage, including the article ¡°The bitter truth behind your Christmas chocolate,¡± which examined child labour in chocolate supply chains.
The panel recommended concrete actions, including the introduction of modern slavery legislation, which does not yet exist in New Zealand but is in place in countries such as Australia and the United Kingdom. The discussion explored the pros and cons of Australia¡¯s ¡°reporting style¡± legislation, which requires companies to publicly disclose modern slavery risks and actions in their supply chains, and stressed the importance of companies owning up to child labour in their supply chains.
Professor John Dumay of Macquarie University works with the NGO Be Slavery Free on the Chocolate Scorecard, which examines how major chocolate companies address worker conditions in their cocoa supply chains, including living income, child labour, forced labour and sustainability. He emphasised the collaborative nature of the model, stating: ¡°We call this name and fame, not name and shame.¡± Companies participate voluntarily and engage openly, acknowledging existing problems.
Dumay also highlighted the importance of remediation programmes rather than severing supply chains altogether - ¡°By admitting there¡¯s child labour in your supply chain, you can actually fix it.¡±
Rebekah Armstrong, Head of Advocacy and Justice at World Vision, argued strongly for legislation that mandates not only reporting but also remediation. ¡°Let¡¯s create legislation that has teeth,¡± she said. Armstrong also stressed the importance of national referral mechanisms, or adequately resourced victim-support pathways, so victims feel safe coming forward.
The event builds on ongoing research at the University of Auckland, including work from the Centre for Research on Modern Slavery, led by Associate Professor Christina Stringer, who participated in the panel. Her most recent research examines the exploitation of temporary migrant workers in New Zealand. She has previously investigated forced labour on board foreign-chartered fishing vessels operating in New Zealand and undertaken research for the Human Trafficking Research Coalition.
Immigration reform was identified as a key recommendation. According to Stringer and other panellists, migrant worker exploitation is often structurally produced through temporary visa schemes, such as tied or employer-sponsored visas. While designed to address labour shortages, these schemes can restrict workers¡¯ rights and increase vulnerability, creating conditions for wage theft, cash-back schemes and excessive visa premiums.
Ahead of the event, Professor Charl de Villiers of the University of Auckland Business School published an opinion piece in Newsroom titled ¡°Modern slavery is more than a moral failure,¡± calling for stronger research and corporate accountability. Reviewing studies in leading business journals, he identified a lack of clarity and consistency in how modern slavery is defined and studied.
The review highlighted six promising data sources to support rigorous, large-scale quantitative research, including corporate disclosures, sustainability ratings, news and social media, satellite imagery, and government and international datasets. Together, these tools can help answer critical questions, such as: Which industries and regions are most at risk? What corporate practices are effective in reducing slavery? How do regulatory interventions impact firm behaviour?
Target 8.7 is one of several SDG 8 targets the University of Auckland will continue to explore as part of its commitment to promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.
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