“I was getting up at five in the morning [and working] until six at night…. with no proper clothing or equipment… lifting 500-600 blocks from one scaffolding to another scaffolding, stirring concrete, tiling roofs, building walls.”
These are memories from Frank, a modern slavery survivor who was subjected to exploitation on local building projects for several years.
Modern slavery is an umbrella term for activities involved when one person obtains or holds another person in compelled service. Many believe that slavery ended with the transatlantic slave trade. However, slavery is still happening; it’s just changed shape and is hiding in plain sight within subcontracting layers and complex supply chains.
Modern slavery occurs in every country across the globe, including the UK. It is estimated that *50 million people worldwide are in modern slavery with 28 million people in forced labour across various sectors.
These numbers may seem extreme, but they are reality. One sector that is particularly vulnerable is construction. Many construction organisations rely heavily on temporary, low-paid, or migrant workers.
Unseen, a leading anti-slavery charity, reveals in their 2024 Annual Assessment, that individuals like these are most susceptible to exploitation, making this sector vulnerable to modern slavery and labour abuse.
*According to the International Labour Organisation, Walk Free and the International Organisation for Migration.
It would be reckless to ignore the complexity of this issue, one that no business can tackle alone.
The construction industry faces significant challenges in combatting modern slavery. Unseen has been working in this sector to identify concerns and provide actionable recommendations from site visits along with facilitating collaborative engagement via their construction hub to actively address slavery head on.
The scale of the problem
The International Labour Organisation estimates that 2.6 million construction workers globally are in situations of forced labour and the sector consistently ranks among the top five most vulnerable according to data from the UK Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline.
Construction constitutes the second highest number of cases and potential victims of any sector, according to Unseen’s 2024 Annual Assessment.
Shockingly, data shows that most victims are recruited simply through job offers or advertisements. Despite these numbers, many within the sector remain unaware of how exploitation is actually happening and why construction is so vulnerable.
Exploitation in construction often thrives because of the way the industry operates. Widespread use of subcontracted labour, high worker turnover, and industry reliance on self-regulation make it harder to spot exploitation and abuse.
Cost pressures and tight deadlines can push some employers to cut corners, while long and complex supply chains make it harder to see what’s really happening.
Many workers are especially vulnerable because they’re often low-paid, working insecure jobs, recruited informally without proper contracts, or even allowed onto sites with fake or unchecked Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) cards. Labour shortages also mean contractors may turn to unfamiliar suppliers with little oversight.
Moreover, language barriers and limited translation services leave workers isolated and less able to raise concerns.
Whether large or small, local or global, no business is immune to exploitation. Recognising this, the construction industry faces a critical responsibility to not just be aware, but act.
Spot the signs
There are signs to look out for that could indicate someone is being exploited for their labour:
- Workers may show signs of physical or psychological abuse or appear frightened and withdrawn.
- They may not be free to move, always accompanied, or transported to and from work in groups.
- Lack of safety training, protective gear, or proper clothing, or workers paying unfairly for tools, PPE, or for breakages on site.
- Confiscated ID or personal documents.
- Withheld wages, underpayment, or workers paying a deposit, or being charged a recruitment fee for their job.
- No formal contract or terms of employment, or workers not being aware of their rights.
- Forced to work excessive hours, or not being able to take breaks or time off.
- Forced to live in overcrowded or unsanitary employer-provided housing.
- Workers may be reliant on other workers on site to translate or may be isolated from others.
What can you do?
“The opaqueness of supply chains and the lack of concerted effort by many businesses to get to grips with their supply chain is allowing labour abuse and labour exploitation to thrive, not only overseas but right here in the UK,” says Justine Carter, Deputy CEO at Unseen.
Given the construction industry’s high risk of exploitation, it is crucial that bespoke measures be taken to combat this issue. Addressing forced labour and worker exploitation requires more than compliance – it demands targeted, practical strategies that create real change.
Consumers are calling for transparency, regulators are tightening rules, and employees want to work for companies that reflect their values.
The reality is your supply chains could be exposed without you even realising. Workers are often facing conditions that go unseen and unaddressed.
Thus, services like Unseen’s worker wellbeing site visits are extremely beneficial in helping businesses uncover hidden risks and take meaningful steps to protect their workers.
Speaking to workers directly, whether employed by subcontractors or through labour providers, highlights how your company’s policies are working in practice, and reveals ongoing risks that could have continued unchecked and led to exploitation.
Unseen conducted a worker wellbeing visit at the largest construction site of a major UK banking group. This visit offered valuable insights into supply chain risks, reinforcing the need for stronger oversight.
“Unseen’s worker wellbeing site visits were a game-changer for us. They showed us the value of proactive engagement in identifying and mitigating exploitation risks on site.” says Head of Construction and Standards at the banking group.
Uniting construction leaders against modern slavery
Collaboration is very impactful when combatting an industry wide issue. Spreading awareness is vital and showcasing a united front against a growing issue helps limit motivations for exploiters.
In partnership with Unseen, 11 major construction firms and labour agencies including the Berkeley Group and Randstad, released a short film highlighting labour exploitation on UK construction sites.
The award-winning film showed the daily struggles of exploited workers, including excessive hours, missing contracts, and unfair wage deductions.
It continues to be rolled out across training programmes and site inductions to boost awareness and help staff spot and report exploitation.
Andrew Wallis OBE, CEO of Unseen, said: “I am heartened to see major construction firms stepping up to provide resources and tools to combat modern slavery. This not only raises awareness but also empowers smaller companies at the site level where the impact is most profound.
“Together, we are building a foundation for ethical practices that will ensure the safety and dignity of every worker in the industry.”
Collaborative hubs
Collaborative initiatives, like those within Unseen’s specialised Construction Hub, show that tackling these risks is possible when businesses commit to proactive, meaningful action.
It is not easy to drive change alone, but when industry leaders are brought together to exchange ideas, learn from one another and gain valuable expert support, tackling modern slavery becomes much easier.
Can your business create genuine change?
Take a stand against modern slavery in construction.
Contact [email protected] to partner with Unseen for a site visit to gain practical insights to protect workers.
Connect with industry leaders in the Unseen Construction Hub, exchange ideas, learn from experts, and tackle exploitation head-on.
Visit our website to get started.
Donate to Unseen to help us end modern slavery.
Thank you to The Reset Journal for giving Unseen the space to write this piece and for highlighting important conversations on modern slavery within business.