The UN Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) Initiative and Australia-based NGO, Walk Free today launched the new UN SSE-Walk Free Model Guidance on Preventing and Addressing Modern Slavery, providing a practical roadmap for stock exchanges, investors, and companies to identify, assess, and mitigate the risks of modern slavery across global supply chains.
The guidance was developed by an advisory group of 35 global experts from 25 organsiation and 16 different nations, in partnership with Walk Free and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), with support from the International Labour Organization (ILO). The initiative reflects a coordinated effort to integrate human rights and ethical practices into financial markets worldwide.
A Global Effort Against Modern Slavery
Modern slavery, including forced labor, human trafficking, and other forms of exploitation, remains a pervasive challenge in global supply chains. The new UN SSE Model Guidance equips market actors with tools and strategies to enhance transparency, implement due diligence, and promote accountability in corporate practices.
The guidance aligns with international standards such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and supports Sustainable Development Goal 8.7, which calls for the eradication of forced labor, modern slavery, and human trafficking.
Voices from the Launch Event
“I strongly encourage exchanges worldwide to engage with the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges initiative and its partners, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the International Labour Organisation and Walk Free to lead their markets in implementing this Guidance.” - Prof. Tomoya Obokata, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences
Ending modern slavery will require bold leadership and collective action. Sustainable stock exchanges can catalyse this change by setting the tone in tandem, signalling that exploitation has no place in a modern economy. We hope this guidance empowers exchanges to lead with purpose, and to support the companies they list in building a future that is fair, inclusive, and free from forced labour. - Ms Grace Forrest, Founding Director, Walk Free
The ILO welcomes this Guidance and is pleased to have contributed technically. Together, we can ensure that global markets operate not at the expense of workers’ rights, but in support of them, thereby advancing decent work, human dignity, and sustainable development for all. - Ms Rie Vejs-Kjedgaard, Director, Department of Sustianable Enterprises, Productivity and Just Transition, ILO
As stock exchanges, we recognize that our role extends far beyond facilitating capital flows. The integrity and resilience of our markets depend not only on financial performance but also on the sustainability and ethics of the businesses we support. Addressing systemic human rights risks - particularly modern forms of slavery - has therefore become an urgent responsibility for market operators. - Mr Iman Rachman, President Director, Indonesia Stock Exchange
Key Features of the Guidance
- Practical steps for exchanges and investors to identify modern slavery risks in their markets
- Frameworks for implementing due diligence and reporting mechanisms
- Recommendations for collaboration with companies, civil society, and governments
- Alignment with global human rights and ESG reporting standards
A Call to Action
The SSE Initiative encourages stock exchanges and market participants worldwide to adopt the guidance and integrate modern slavery risk prevention into their operations. By doing so, the initiative aims to catalyse a global shift toward more ethical and transparent financial markets.
For further details and to access the full UN SSE Model Guidance on Preventing and Addressing Modern Slavery, visit SSE Initiative.