Anti-Slavery Week 2025: We All Have a Role to Play

Date and time

Thursday, 16 October 2025 10:00-14:00 BST

Location

Co-operative Group HQ, 1 Angel Square Manchester M60 0AG

About this event

To mark Anti-Slavery Week 2025, Stronger Together are hosting a free, in-person event on Thursday 16th October 2025 in partnership with the Co-op exclusively for Modern Slavery Champions, 2025 Business Partners and the Greater Manchester Modern Slavery Business Network. Join us for Anti-Slavery Week 2025: We All Have a Role to Play

Business partners and Modern Slavery Champions are working year-round to raise awareness and eradicate all forms of modern slavery and exploitation within their businesses and their supply chains. Anti-Slavery week provides us with the opportunity to come together, to understand the latest insights, to network and to learn from best practice. This is the fifth event Stronger Together has held for Modern Slavery Champions and Business Partners, with this event specifically focusing on the impact stakeholders with different roles and responsibilities can have in tackling modern slavery and how cross-organisational collaboration supports a robust management system.

This event is also open to members of the Greater Manchester Modern Slavery Business Network (GMMSBN), a network providing the opportunity for businesses based in or with a connection to the region to work together and support each other in tackling modern slavery. Those that are part of the network or would like to learn more are invited to stay beyond the ASW event for a short network meeting.  

Timings:

Arrival – 9:30am

Event start – 10:00am

AWS Event ends – 2:00pm (Lunch will be provided)

GMMSBN Meeting starts – 2:15pm  

GMMSBN Meeting ends – 3:30pm 

What is the agenda?

Full agenda to be confirmed across the theme of tackling modern slavery – assigned roles and responsibility, policy commitment, building a business case and case studies from large and small organisations.

There will be opportunities to listen to expert presentations, network with fellow business partners and modern slavery champions, and take part in interactive discussions and group work.

For those attending the GMMSBN, the meeting following the event will discuss the future of the network as a follow up from thhe launch event in June.  

Venue location info:

Please note that there is no on-site parking, but the venue is an 8-minute walk from Manchester Victoria Station or a 20-minute walk from Manchester Piccadilly Station. The venue is also accessible by tram and bus, including the green or navy line or 135, 76, 76B, 18, 33, 41 buses from Piccadilly Gardens.

How do I attend?

To attend this event, you must be a representative from a 2025 Stronger Together or Responsible Recruitment Toolkit business partner organisation and/or be a Modern Slavery Champion.

As this is a FREE event, there is space for ONE representative PER ORGANISATION. If there is more than one representative from your organisation who wishes to attend, please contact us and we will inform you if a place becomes available. If you secure a place and can no longer attend, please inform us so we can make space available for other delegates.

If you are a new or existing member of the GMMSBN and would like to attend the event, please select the GMMSBN ticket option to indicate you will be attending both the ASW week event and network meeting.  

What is a Modern Slavery Champion?

A modern slavery champion is an advocate in a business who raises awareness of hidden labour exploitation with workers and peers and promote how workers can report concerns or suspicions of modern slavery.

What is a Stronger Together or RRT Business Partner?

Stronger Together or Responsible Recruitment Toolkit Business Partners are organisations that have uploaded evidence to publicly demonstrate their commitment to tackling hidden labour exploitation and responsible recruitment. By becoming recognised as a Business Partner, your business can access a network sharing best practice and use the Stronger Together or RRT Business Partner logo in your business materials.

What is the Greater Manchester Modern Slavery Business Network?  

The purpose of the GMMSBN is to provide an opportunity for businesses based in or with a connection to the region to work together and support each other in tackling modern slavery. The network’s objectives are:  

• Share examples between local businesses of good practices being deployed to help drive wider adoption of good practices. 

• Provide a safe space for businesses to share challenges faced when tackling modern slavery to help identify common solutions. 

• Support businesses to prepare for upcoming policy and legislative changes 

• Support growth of responsible businesses within the GM economy 

If you have any questions about the event or network please contact events@stronger2gether.org