Why Anti-Slavery Week matters to RSK Group

At RSK Group, we believe that no one should be exploited in the course of doing business. RSK’s Head of Human Rights Emily Lee says that Anti-Slavery Week, starting on 13 October 2025, provides a vital opportunity each year to raise awareness, reflect on the risks of modern slavery and strengthen our efforts to eradicate it. It is also part of RSK’s human rights programme and delivers on the group’s commitments outlined in our human rights and modern slavery policy.

Slavery is not a problem of the past, nor is it confined to certain industries or geographies. Nearly 50 million people worldwide are estimated to be living in situations of modern slavery. It can affect any supply chain and any community. Businesses such as ours, therefore, have a responsibility to play an active role in prevention and protection.

A broader side to RSK

RSK is widely recognised as a global leader in the delivery of environmental and engineering solutions. But perhaps less well known is that we are also home to a strong and growing community of social and human rights consultants.

As a global group, we work alongside our clients to help them strengthen their own approaches to human rights and modern slavery. With our multidisciplinary expertise, we can support organisations to understand risks in their operations and supply chains, build effective policies and practices and engage their people in prevention. Tackling modern slavery requires collective effort and by working together, businesses can drive real impact.

Raising awareness across our global operations

Each year, we use Anti-Slavery Week to engage our people and partners directly. This year, we are:

• hosting webinars to deepen understanding of modern slavery risks and practical prevention
• delivering toolbox talks across our global sites to build awareness from the ground up
• rolling out new ‘Spot the Signs’ posters, giving colleagues accessible guidance on identifying and reporting concerns
• promoting our grievance mechanism, to enable issues to be raised safely and confidentially.
• sharing resources with suppliers so they can build awareness in their own operations.

These initiatives aim to build a culture of vigilance and shared responsibility. We want every RSK colleague – wherever they are in the world – to feel equipped and empowered to act if something seems wrong.

This commitment is championed at the highest levels of our organisation. RSK Group Chief Scientist and Board Sponsor for Sustainability Lucy Thomas said: “Modern slavery is one of the most urgent human rights issues of our time and is exacerbated by challenges such as climate change and conflict.

“At RSK, we know that tackling it requires vigilance, collaboration and leadership. Anti-Slavery Week is a reminder that every part of our business, from board level to project sites, has a role to play in protecting people and building sustainable supply chains. We are committed to driving this agenda forward, both within our own operations and in partnership with our clients around the world.”

Beyond this week

Anti-Slavery Week is just one point on our broader journey. RSK is embedding due diligence in our supply chains, strengthening policies and guidance in line with international standards and collaborating with stakeholders globally. Eliminating modern slavery is a long-term challenge, but it is one we are committed to tackling together.

Why it matters

For RSK, raising awareness during Anti-Slavery Week is about more than marking a date in the calendar. It is about living our nine guiding principles across our projects, our partnerships and our supply chains, in particular, promoting the concept of sustainability in all that we do.

As a group known for environmental and technical expertise, we are proud to also be growing as a leader in human rights and social impact. By bringing these agendas together, we can drive meaningful change. By using Anti-Slavery Week to pause, reflect and recommit, we are trying to build a future in which exploitation has no place in business or society.

If your organisation is looking to strengthen its own approach to human rights and modern slavery, our global team of experts can help. Together, we can build safer, more sustainable supply chains and protect people around the world.

RSK Group businesses delivering social and human rights work:

Nature Positive
RSK IPG
RSK Tanzania
RSK Kenya
RSK Uganda
RSK Middle East
Edge Impact
AGEA
RGM

Emily Lee leads the human rights, modern slavery and social value programme for RSK Group and works in collaboration with other experts across the group, including those within legal, procurement, HR, IPG, Edge Impact, AGEA, RSK Middle East, RSK Kenya and RSK Tanzania. Emily leads Nature Positive’s engagement with businesses and organisations on human rights impacts across their operations, supply chains and the communities in which they operate. She has 12 years of experience working with multinational organisations across diverse sectors, including fast-moving consumer goods, retail, agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing, transport, energy and industrial.