nominations are now open!
Do you or your organisation lead the way in ethical business? Are you taking bold action against modern slavery? Then this is your moment to celebrate your achievements.
Nominations for the Unseen Business Awards 2025 are officially open—and we want to hear your story.
Now in its third year, these awards celebrate businesses and individuals driving real change: uncovering exploitation, supporting survivors, building transparent supply chains, and proving that business can be a force for good.
Run in partnership with London-based purpose-led events company Zentive Agency, this year’s programme promises to be our biggest yet. Zentive integrates technology, partners with socially responsible organisations, and follows sustainable event practices to deliver powerful, impactful events.
Nominations close on 31 July 2025 at 11.59pm BST.
What are the Unseen Business Awards?
Not your average business awards.
The Unseen Business Awards recognises those taking meaningful, measurable action to tackle modern slavery–not just drafting policies, but setting new standards.
From AI-powered risk detection to fair employment for survivors, these awards have shone a light on the incredible work that too often goes unseen.
Modern slavery, in particular forced labour, remains one of the world's most lucrative economic crimes with pervasive human rights violations, affecting nearly 28 million people worldwide and estimated to generate illicit and obscene profits of $236 billion annually. This figure reflects the wages or earnings effectively stolen from the pockets of workers by the perpetrators of forced labour through their coercive practices. Businesses have a vital role to play in dismantling the systems that allow this illicit trade and exploitation to thrive. The Unseen Business Awards shine a light on those rising to that challenge and leading by example."
Past nominees span a range of sizes and sectors—from big brands like Tony’s Chocolonely, Lloyds Banking Group and Aldi to mission-led SMEs like Value Match—proving you don’t have to be big to be brave.
This year’s awards are proudly supported by our sponsors: Nestlé UK, CCLA, and SD Strategies. We’re grateful for their shared commitment to ethical business and the fight to end modern slavery.
Award categories
The Unseen Business Awards 2025 feature five key awards across two categories: Business awards and Individual awards.
Business Awards
- Innovation Award – recognising groundbreaking approaches.
- Partnership Award – recognising collaboration with impact.
- Business Impact Award – honouring transformative change across operations or supply chains.
Individual Awards
- Individual Impact Award – recognising leaders pushing the envelope from within.
- Star of the Year Award – recognising exceptional contributions from Unseen’s Business Hub member organisations
Winners say the recognition has elevated their mission and strengthened internal and external support for ethical business practices.
“It was both a huge blessing and surprise to receive the 2024 Unseen Business award. We didn’t get into this industry for awards or recognition, we simply wanted to help survivors of trafficking and exploitation to rebuild their lives in a safe and supportive environment. However, for our work to have been recognised in this way by an organisation like Unseen is a great honour and we are truly humbled.”
Explore the 2024 award winners and learn about their inspiring work in the fight against modern slavery.
Why enter the 2025 Unseen Business Awards?
Because action deserves recognition.
Your work will be reviewed by a top-tier panel of judges—experts in human rights, sustainability, and ethical business. They’ll be scoring every entry based on four key criteria: commitment, collaboration, innovation, and impact. Their expertise ensures a rigorous and fair evaluation process.
Among the judges is Dr Martin Buttle, Better Work Lead at CCLA Investment Management.
Commenting on his role as a judge, Dr Buttle says: “With 20 years of experience working on international labour standards and business and human rights with a range of different businesses in different sectors, I am delighted to be a judge for the Unseen Business Awards.
“Most recently at CCLA Investment Management, we co-ordinate the Find it, Fix it, Prevent it investor coalition on modern slavery and publish an annual modern slavery benchmark of the top 100 UK companies listed in the UK on the extent to which they are disclosing finding, fixing and preventing modern slavery.
“I am looking forward to learning from and recognising the leading practices of responsible businesses in the UK. We need to celebrate the companies that are innovating, going over and above and driving real change.”
This year, one of our Survivor Consultants will also help judge the awards. As a person with lived experience of modern slavery, they bring essential insight and depth to the judging panel. Their involvement ensures survivor voices are meaningfully represented in how we evaluate impact and leadership.
Learn more about our judges panel here.
Who can apply?
Short answer: Anyone committed to tackling modern slavery.
Whether you’re a solo consultant, SME, social enterprise or global company, if your work fights modern slavery in meaningful, measurable ways, we want to hear from you. All projects must have been active within the past two years.
Take five minutes to review our nomination guidelines for eligibility, judging criteria and top tips for standing out.
Ready to nominate?
Step into the spotlight. Show what ethical leadership looks like. Nominations close on 31 July 2025 at 11:59pm BST. Nominate your organisation, your teammate, your partners, or even yourself.
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