As the devastating and complex impacts of Covid-19 began to emerge across the world, it became clear that the disease did not affect all people equally. People with certain underlying health conditions, the elderly and BAME communities, were disproportionately affected and faced worse health outcomes. Social inequities amplified health inequities as many could not work from home and those in illegal forced labour do not benefit from government aid for workers. Economic disparities too have emerged with many firms experiencing huge surges in demand, while others collapse or struggle to survive. The business impacts in turn increase the risk of exploitation of vulnerable workers. While business leaders focus on securing supplies to resume production and trade, the commercial imperatives for low-cost, rapid sourcing are prioritised. In this environment, there is a significant risk that due diligence related to modern slavery is deprioritised. This research employs a large-scale quantitative survey of supply chain professionals and business leaders of large firms (turnover of £36 million and above) in the UK who fall under the UK Modern Slavery (2015) Act. The results identify if, and how, the new Covid-19 business landscape affects firms' commitments to tackle modern slavery in corporate supply chains. The tensions emerging from Covid-19 creates two opposing scenarios. On the one hand, the impact of supply chain disruptions may concentrate attention on the firms' outcomes rather than a broader concern for social issues. Risks may be increased through new suppliers with where poorly analysed supply chain practices; contracting with new suppliers with logistical capacity rather than product expertise; increased subcontracting; and the furloughing of staff reducing firms' due diligence resources. In addition, in April 2020, the UK government relaxed the firms' obligations to publish modern slavery statements in response to the pandemic, potentially creating a perfect storm for de-prioritisation. Yet, on the other hand, there are opportunities. The counter scenario is that Covid-19 has forced firms to examine their extended supply chains in more detail than they would normally to understand potential commercial vulnerabilities. In parallel, the impact of the pandemic has led to a rallying call for firms to consider the social implications of their activities on staff, workers, customers, and their communities. More active management of supply chains beyond tier one suppliers, necessitated by the Covid-19 crisis, therefore may present opportunities for firms to uncover the detail required to tackle modern slavery in a holistic, systemic, and human-centred approach. This research explores how decision makers are responding to the inherent tensions between cost/resource pressures and social obligations. The insights will enable the start of an evidence-based dialogue with our research partners: The Ethical Trading Initiative and Fifty-Eight who work on the ground with individuals and organisations to combat modern slavery through training and education; Crown Commercial Service the buying arm for the UK's central government and wider public sector; the Home Office's Modern Slavery Unit; and the two academic partners, the University of Liverpool's Management School and the University of Nottingham's Rights Lab. This collaboration ensures appropriate co-design of the research, effective dissemination of the results, and co-creation of evidence-based solutions and policy. The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) are an additional partner to ensure dissemination of results and recommendations through their membership of 200,000 professional buyers across the world, to engage a wider debate on how modern slavery can be tackled in parallel with other commercial pressures.

This project aims to establish the Enterprise and Diversity Alliance (EDA) as the United Kingdom's leading knowledge exchange network for entrepreneurship and minority businesses (that is, small enterprises owned by ethnic minorities, women and young people). It brings together researchers, corporations, the finance sector and professional bodies in order to pursue one central ambition: to 'make diversity and enterprise everyone's business'. The EDA is the culmination of extensive research and practitioner activity. It has had a successful first year, marked by growing interest from corporations and the development of innovative support initiatives for minority business owners. A further year's support from the ESRC would enable the EDA become: the 'go-to' body for guidance on research and practice on minority enterprise; larger in scale; and fully self-financing. It is also is well-placed to fill the policy vacuum that has arisen in the business support world. The profound changes to business support policy mean that the there is a real danger that the learning accumulated from previous initiatives to support minority enterprise will be lost. The EDA will guard against this possibility, and will ensure that insights from research and practice are applied to new initiatives. Three strands of work will be undertaken to ensure that knowledge on minority enterprise is shared widely with relevant stakeholders. First, two innovative peer mentoring initiatives with minority entrepreneurs will be launched. They build on the successful 12/8 network, and will be supported by A. F. Blakemore & Son Ltd and National Grid. Minority business owners will receive direct and high level support for their growth ambitions. Minority entrepreneurs across the UK will also be the target for a regular electronic newsletter on key developments and sources of business support. Second, the project will integrate knowledge on diversity and enterprise in the practices of large organisations. This activity will focus on the EDA's new members, A. F. Blakemore & Son Ltd., National Grid and Leicester City Council. The proposers will ensure that key initiatives (for example, the leadership development programmes of A. F. Blakemore & Son Ltd., National Grid, and procurement practices at Leicester City Council) apply the knowledge gained from EDA research and practice on diversity and enterprise. Finally, knowledge and insights from the implementation of the EDA project will be shared with the wider peer, professional and policy networks of partner organisations. In effect, EDA members will be ambassadors for diversity and enterprise amongst their peers. This provides an opportunity for the EDA to influence major national initiatives. For example, our finance sector partners will work with the British Bankers' Association to ensure that diversity issues are integrated in key areas, notably data-gathering and the implementation of the national mentoring proposition. Business in the Community will introduce its corporate members to the benefits of supporting peer mentoring networks with minority business owners. Good practice in relation to diversity and procurement will be promoted by CIPS and Leicester City Council. The 16th Annual Ethnic Minority Business Conference, scheduled for October 2012, will be dedicated to highlighting the impact of the EDA.