Fair Futures | Modern Slavery Insights & Expert Analysis

Featured insights

How does Australia’s climate transition impact human rights?

While rapid decarbonisation is critical, Australia’s climate transition currently has a human rights blind spot: modern slavery risk in critical mineral and renewable energy supply chains. To remedy this, Fiona David, Fair Futures Founder, and Shannon Hobbs examine the concept of 'Climate Justice' and how it must shape Australia’s national climate plans. Drawing on forensic data regarding solar and battery supply chains, this analysis explores why Australia must move beyond passing references to human rights to ensure the Just Transition to net zero is both rapid and fair.

Read

What is a living wage and why is it essential for responsible business?

A living wage is no longer a luxury; it is the foundational 'social equivalent to Net Zero' for responsible business. Aligning with the 2024 ILO definition, a living wage ensures workers and their families afford a decent standard of living during normal working hour - a benchmark that current statutory minimum wages fail to meet by 30% to 70%.

Drawing on industry leaders like Unilever and Fairphone, Fair Futures Founder Fiona David and Shannon Hobbs outline the ROI of living wages: reducing modern slavery risk, increasing supply chain resilience, and boosting worker productivity. By embedding living wages into the core of commercial operations, businesses can move beyond simple compliance towards true social sustainability.

Read

More insights

Critical minerals and the case for human rights in the just transition

Fiona David and Shannon Hobbs analyse the hidden human rights risks in the nickel and critical minerals industries. As the global race for renewables intensifies, this analysis warns that poor labour standards in the green transition risk repeating past industrial mistakes. Drawing on forensic insights into the nickel industry, the authors explain why embedding human rights into the just transition is a commercial and ethical necessity for businesses navigating the move to net zero. Originally published by the Lowy Institute’s The Interpreter

Read

Can Australia's SunShot program help reduce risk of forced labour?

The Federal Government's SunShot Solar Program has the objective of developing Australia's solar manufacturing industry. While the focus is on helping Australia achieve its economic and environmental goals, the program offers important opportunities to reduce Australia's current dependence on solar supply chains that may be impacted by forced labour. In our consultation response, we made three important recommendations that will enable the program to achieve its existing goals, while also addressing a major human rights risk that currently afflicts solar panel supply chains globally.

Read

A Future Made in Australia: Does the PM's industrial agenda offer hope for labour and human rights?

Can Australia's new industrial agenda drive positive social change? Fiona David analyses the Future Made in Australia Act through a human rights lens, questioning if the Australian Prime Minister's principles go far enough to secure 'clean' supply chains. From quartz deposits to living wages, this insight reveals why Australia's comparative advantage lies in our environmental and labour standards. Explore three policy shifts required to align Australia’s manufacturing boom with global human rights benchmarks.

Read

Survivor insights: Australia's proposed Anti-Slavery Commissioner

As Australia establishes its first Federal Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Fiona David and Sherry Wanjiru explore the 'missing link' in current legislation: direct survivor engagement. Drawing on in-depth interviews with people with lived experience, this article outlines how the Commissioner can unify the fractured anti-slavery sector and break down barriers to support. Learn why survivor-led co-design is essential for building a trauma-informed national response that delivers genuine functional autonomy for victims.

Read

The right to a healthy environment - what does it mean and why does it matter?

Australian law does not currently recognise any right to a healthy environment. This could change, if reforms proposed by the Australian Human Rights Commission are accepted and given effect in law. In this insight, Tahlia McDonald explains why these proposed reforms matter to them, and why they should matter to you.

Read

Explainer: Right to a healthy environment

Australia's Human Rights system is under review by an Australian Federal Parliamentary Inquiry. The Inquiry is considering whether Australia needs a Human Rights Act, one model for which would include 28 rights, including the right to a healthy environment. What are the origins of the right to a healthy environment? How does Australia compare to other countries in this regard?

Read

How can Australia's human rights infrastructure better enable the net zero transition?

Is Australia’s legal framework ready for the net-zero race? As demand for critical minerals like cobalt and lithium skyrockets, Australia remains vulnerable to international supply chains deeply embedded with human rights risks. Fair Futures Founder Fiona David and Dr David Tickler argue that a rapid energy transition must not come at the cost of human rights. This analysis outlines three essential steps for Australia - including a national Human Rights Act and mandatory human rights due diligence - to bring the nation into line with global standards and ensure a truly just transition to a green economy.

Read

Green competition law and pre-competitive collaboration on human rights

Could Australia's laws on competition more clearly carve out space for pre-competitive collaboration between business on human rights issues? This insight is based on a longer 'work in progress' paper, seeking to map the policy frameworks needed to embed human rights into the sustainability agenda. Comments are welcome.

Read

Fiona David and Andrew Forrest at NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Modern Slavery

Forest for the trees: reflections on a decade of systems change.

How do we move from being bogged down in detail to driving systems-level change? Fiona David, founding employee of Walk Free, reflects on a decade working with Andrew and Nicola Forrest to build the Global Slavery Index. From 'straddling the barbed wire fence' to unblocking complex systems, this analysis shares three essential lessons for driving social impact in a corporate and philanthropic world.

Read

Fiona David, Principal of Fair Futures and human rights governance expert.

Are you looking to safeguard your business and secure impact? Let’s start a conversation.

Contact Fair Futures