Publication Summary

Over 50 million people are held in modern slavery worldwide

• 28 million people are victims of forced labour, 86% of which is in the private sector.
• Modern slavery is estimated to generate $236 billion in profits annually.
• It is one of the top three international crimes alongside drug trafficking and trade in counterfeit goods.
• Financial institutions can play a role in detecting and disrupting this serious organised crime.

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At the beginning of 2020 Themis began a year long research project in partnership with the UK Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner and the TRIBE Freedom Foundation, which looked at the links between the financial services sector and modern slavery. Over the course of one year the team undertook detailed research and conducted virtual roundtable events as part of our industry outreach programme.

We reached out to over 3,000 individuals and organisations, hosted 18 virtual roundtable discussions, attracting over 700 participants to our live webinars. The culmination of the research project was a report highlighting the links to modern slavery, the current trends, and a call to action for industry leaders. The report was launched on 18th January 2021.

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