Evaluating the Effectiveness of U.S. Anti-Slavery Legislation through the Lens of Supply Chain Management

Whether knowingly or unknowingly, business supply chains are often tainted with slavery and forced labor practices. In an effort to address this reality, the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010 (CTSCA) requires companies in California to publish a statement disclosing companies’ efforts to prevent this potential abuse. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the California legislation by observing media trends and collecting expert interviews and data from business leaders, academics, and legislators. The data reveals both strengths and weaknesses in the California bill, which informs future attempts to create antislavery legislation addressing corporate supply chain abuses. The CTSCA is not likely to eliminate the problem of slavery in corporate supply chains, yet it plays an integral and pioneering role in the advent of conversations about corporate social responsibility and the role of businesses in the fight against this abuse