Tag: Scotland Against Modern Slavery

Three people convicted of human trafficking offences 

Two men and a woman have been convicted of human trafficking and brothel keeping offences in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Qin Huang, 31, Xiao Min, 38, and Guolei Huang, 35, pled guilty at the High Court in Glasgow today (Tuesday, 28 May, 2024).

They are due to be sentenced on Tuesday, 25 June, 2024.

Detective Inspector Mark Dines said: “Human trafficking is a despicable crime that has an unmeasurable long-term impact on its victims.

“We are committed to working with our partners to conduct thorough investigations, to identify those responsible and to protect vulnerable victims from harm.

“During this operation we worked in partnership with the Home Office Criminal & Financial Investigation Team and received assistance from officers of the Metropolitan Police and Cambridgeshire Constabulary.

“We will continue in our efforts to tackle human trafficking and information from people within our communities is key to helping us to identify those involved.

“I ask that anyone with any information or concerns about the welfare of someone they suspect has been trafficked to contact us on 101.”

Scottish Businesses to benefit from global expert insight on tackling Modern Slavery

Scotland Against Modern Slavery (SAMS), which focuses on the elimination of modern slavery and human trafficking has announced an accelerator series of webinars designed to help Scottish businesses tackle the issue in their supply chains.

Businesses in Scotland have supply chains, and often operations, which span the globe.  The International Labour Organisation believes that 63% of forced labour happens in the private economy, which accounts for 16million of the 28million men, women, and children in forced labour.

In Scotland alone, 765 referrals were made to Police Scotland as potential victims of human trafficking last year – the highest number since records began. This is up from 600 in 2022.

Human rights and supply chain expert, Elaine Mitchel-Hill, has engaged with SAMS to develop and deliver a Human Rights in Supply Chain Accelerator Series on a pro-bono basis.

She said: “The introduction of the UK Modern Slavery Act in 2016 has had limited impact on tackling human rights abuses by corporations, and there are moves to review and address these, including the recent Commercial and Public Authorities Duty (Human Rights and Environment) Bill put forward by Baroness Young of Hornsey.

“Global environmental and human rights due diligence legislation is moving apace, signalled most recently by the passing of the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. 

“The truth is that many businesses still do not know where human rights risks lie. Nor do they know where to begin to find out where risks lie. Too many have their heads buried in a ‘compliance’ only approach. 

“Still more are not significantly motivated by potential prosecutions and fines – although this is changing.  This accelerator series is a great opportunity to engage with global experts to learn and to share.”

Shan Saba, director at Brightwork and a founder of SAMS, said: “The stats don’t lie and this issue is not going away so we hope as many people as possible sign up to the SAMS Human Rights in Supply Chain Accelerator Series to learn more and thereby improve the situation.

“Slavery is a global issue so listening to and learning from our international partners will be invaluable in our efforts to help ensure compliance, eliminate modern slavery, and support human rights.

“Since inception, SAMS has brought together the Scottish Government with over 56 businesses, charities, and NGOs, with the core aims of raising awareness of the problem, supporting survivors into positive employment opportunities and protecting vulnerable communities from exploitation.  

“All areas of Scotland have reported cases of human trafficking – anyone can be susceptible, and it is happening in our towns, cities and rural communities, as well as in our global supply chains.”

To sign up to the SAMS Human Rights in Supply Chain Accelerator Series then register here: https://humanrightsinsupplychainacceleratorseries.eventbrite.co.uk/

The link for the second session on 26th June is now live and thought you may want to add it into the previous story:

Register on Eventbrite

Scotland Against Modern Slavery

Three major organisations join forces in the fight against modern slavery


Two of the biggest names in the Scottish energy sector and a global life sciences business have joined the Scotland Against Modern Slavery movement.

SSE plc, one of the UK’s leading low-carbon energy company, Wood, a global leader in consulting and engineering, and Charles River Laboratories, the drug discovery and development experts, have signed up to the movement to work alongside existing members of the group as part of a cross-industry collaboration, to help stop the misery caused by labour exploitation. 

Scotland Against Modern Slavery (SAMS) has brought together the Scottish Government with over 56 businesses, charities, and NGOs, with the core aims of raising awareness of the problem, supporting survivors into positive employment opportunities and protecting vulnerable communities from exploitation.  

Over 600 men, women and children were identified as potential victims of human trafficking in Scotland last year – the highest number since records began.

The Scottish Government funds Migrant Help and the Trafficking Awareness Raising Alliance (TARA) to provide crisis support and assistance to potential victims identified in Scotland. It is vital that we all do our part to understand the indicators of human trafficking and exploitation.

All areas of Scotland have reported cases of human trafficking – anyone can be susceptible, and it is happening in our towns, cities and rural communities.

Siobhian Brown MSP, Minister for Victims and Community Safety, said: “Human trafficking and exploitation is abhorrent and illegal and action is needed across all sectors to end it.

“I am pleased to see more Scottish companies joining the fight against human trafficking and being clear that they are united with us in preventing the exploitation of people.”

Shan Saba, founder of SAMS, said, “We have supported over 19 survivors into work in recent years, each one suffering from the trauma of being exploited here on our doorstep. By the business community working together, we can share best practice and help stamp out this misery in our society.”

SSE develops and maintains electricity assets such as onshore and offshore wind, hydro power, electricity transmission and distribution grids, and efficient gas-fired generation, alongside providing energy products and services for businesses. The company employs around 10,000 people and is Real Living Wage and Fair Tax Mark accredited.

Rachel McEwen, Chief Sustainability Officer at SSE, said, “SSE has zero tolerance of human rights abuses and modern slavery in all its forms and has a responsibility to understand the risks within its own business and supply chain and to reduce those risks.

“We are always keen to hear from and learn from others to protect vulnerable people and communities from exploitation wherever that may be.”

Wood is helping unlock solutions to critical challenges in energy and materials markets, employing around 35,000 people across 60 countries. Committed to making the world a better place, Wood is comprised of remarkable people, who are trusted by clients to design, build and advance the world.

Linzie Forrester, President of Sustainability at Wood, said: “At Wood, we are delivering the changes that world needs most, making sustainability real for our clients and ourselves.

“Everything we do is with an unwavering commitment to what we believe in and how we behave – with care and courage. We are driven to deliver solutions that transform the world into a clean, safe, ethical and equitable environment, and our work with SAMS will help make those ambitions possible.”

Charles River is a biotech research company, working in all the key areas of drug development – Basic research, discovery, safety and efficacy, clinical support, and manufacturing. They have worked on more than 80% of the FDA-approved drugs over the last 5 years. Charles River Edinburgh is Real Living Wage and Top Employer UK 2023 accredited.

Geoff Burns, Charles River Edinburgh’s General Manager, said: “Charles River is committed to operating its global business ethically and with integrity in accordance with all applicable laws, directives, regulations and codes to prevent the abuse of human rights and to prevent human trafficking and modern slavery.

“Charles River Edinburgh is pleased to be able to work with and learn from SAMS to help us continue to live our values of Care, Lead, Own and Collaborate. We have a zero-tolerance approach towards abuse and exploitation.”

For more information, please visit www.scotlandagainstmodernslavery.co.uk