In a landmark decision, a Labour and National MP have jointly agreed to make progress on a long-awaited Modern Slavery Bill. It’s not every day we see legislation of this nature move forward through genuine cross-party effort.
For years, New Zealand businesses, non-profits and advocacy organisations have been calling for greater transparency and accountability around how companies identify, prevent, and address modern slavery and worker exploitation in their supply chains.
We’re pleased to finally see a collective call from both major political parties to stand against worker exploitation. It’s a reminder of what we can achieve when we put our differences aside to do what’s right.
As the focus moves from voluntary commitments to legislation, the question is no longer whether modern slavery risks should be addressed, but how businesses can do so credibly and consistently. This is where third-party certification like Eco Choice Aotearoa comes in as a practical tool for risk visibility, decision-making, and leadership.
What does the Bill set out to achieve?
The Bill, which will be introduced to Parliament on 10th February will see:
- Public naming and potential liability for directors and senior managers.
- Fines up to $200,000 for failure to report or misleading statements.
- Large companies ($100M+ revenue) must report modern slavery risks in their supply chains to a public registrar.
This aligns closely with existing legislation in other OECD countries such as Australia, the UK, and the EU.
Why Eco Choice introduced modern slavery criteria in 2023
Eco Choice Aotearoa sees regulation, if it exists, as a minimum requirement.
Businesses awarded the Eco Choice certification go above and beyond to prove their environmental performance through life-cycle audits, including human health impacts, fitness for purpose, and supply chain risks. However, products and services can only be considered sustainable if a business takes both their environmental and social responsibility seriously.
That’s why in 2023 we decided to introduce modern slavery and social accountability criteria into our standards.
How Eco Choice helps address modern slavery risks
Since introducing the criteria, we’ve seen encouraging responses from our ecolabel partners. Some have already been audited against the new requirements, while others are actively improving their practices as they prepare for assessment.
In practice, our certification requires:
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Mandating publicly available policies covering human rights, diversity and inclusion and anti-bullying and fair treatment of workers. These policies must include a clear commitment to recognised human rights standards, such as the International Bill of Human Rights and the International Labour Organization (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.
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Setting clear expectations of people across the business and supply chain. This often takes the form of a code of conduct or equivalent guidance that sets standards for behaviour and compliance across the extended supply chain.
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Proof of implementation and monitoring that show how organisations are acting on their commitments. This might be proof of how policy is put into practice, how compliance is monitored and how issues are identified and addressed.
- Evidence of corrective action. Where concerns have been identified, we look for evidence of corrective action that is proportionate, time-bound, worker-centred, and focused on fixing underlying systems.
Get ahead of risk and lead with credibility
While the proposed Modern Slavery Bill is expected to apply to organisations above the $100M revenue threshold, Eco Choice expects all businesses pursuing the certification to take responsibility for modern slavery risks, regardless of size.
The legal, reputational, and operational risks of modern slavery are not limited to large businesses. They can sit anywhere along a supply chain, often well beyond a company’s direct line of sight.
This is where Eco Choice Aotearoa’s certification can be genuinely useful. Our independent assessment helps businesses understand where their real risks lie, rather than relying on assumptions or incomplete information. It provides a structured way to ask better questions of suppliers, identify gaps in policies or practices, and address issues before they escalate.
What we hear consistently from businesses is that our certification offers valuable business intelligence. By taking an evidence-based, life-cycle approach, we help organisations identify hotspots within their supply chains that aren’t always visible. This way, businesses are given an opportunity to demonstrate sustainability leadership with confidence.
Is your business prepared?
Addressing modern slavery risks is not only the right thing to do, but essential for businesses wanting to secure finance and insurance, export and obtain tendering advantages in procurement.
While we’re glad to see legislative momentum building around this issue, businesses must begin preparing now by mapping risks, conducting due diligence and ensuring suppliers are clear on their expectations. Acting now can make the difference between informed decision-making and costly remediation later.
Get in touch to understand how Eco Choice certification supports modern slavery risk assessment and continuous improvement.
Insights from our previous events on modern slavery
In 2025, Eco Choice Aotearoa hosted two events on the topic of modern slavery in collaboration with our partners at Edge Impact.
Over two value-packed panel conversations, we gathered expert voices from across sectors to ask: how do we identify and mitigate risks, respond effectively, and ensure human rights and wellbeing are upheld?
You can learn more about the insights that were shared here.
