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Defra
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Defra Group strengthens modern slavery governance with a practical maturity assessment toolkit

Discover how Action Sustainability supported the Defra Group to translate its modern slavery maturity roadmap into a practical, standards-aligned toolkit, enabling consistent self-assessment, gap identification, and structured improvement planning across organisations and supply chains.
Defra 2025

The Challenge

Project to develop a Modern Slavery Maturity Assessment Toolkit for the Defra group. Following on from the Defra group 2024 Modern Slavery Assessment, which contained a summary maturity roadmap, the task was to create a practical tool, aligned with BS25700:2022 and PPN 02/23, to help organisations evaluate their risk management capabilities, identify gaps and plan improvements. The toolkit needs to include a maturity assessment framework, detailed guidance for consistent self-assessment and dashboards to track progress and next steps. Action Sustainability was selected as the supplier due to their expertise, prior involvement in designing the initial framework and strong stakeholder relationships, enabling delivery at pace. This initiative supports Defra’s commitment to strengthening modern slavery risk management across its supply chains.

Our Approach

The project followed a structured, phased methodology to create the Modern Slavery Maturity Toolkit, ensuring alignment with BS 25700 and PPN 02/23. The process began with a project kick-off and stakeholder engagement, including workshops to refine scope and agree requirements. A desktop review of best practice informed the design principles.

Action Sustainability then developed core content, comprising an Excel-based maturity assessment tool, detailed guidance, and dashboards designed for usability and future updates. This was followed by consultation and socialisation, where Single Points of Contact and wider stakeholders tested the draft toolkit and provided feedback.

Subsequent phases focused on incorporating feedback and finalising content, producing a working toolkit ready for professional design and launch. This collaborative approach combined technical expertise with stakeholder insight, delivering a practical resource to help organisations assess maturity, identify gaps, and plan improvements in managing modern slavery risks.

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“Leading the development of the Modern Slavery Maturity Toolkit involved close collaboration with Action Sustainability to ensure alignment with BS25700 and PPN 02/23. The team worked to agreed timelines and incorporated stakeholder input through workshops and feedback sessions. This approach resulted in a toolkit that is simple to navigate, adaptable for future updates, and provides clear guidance for organisations to assess maturity and plan improvements.

Key lessons included the importance of early engagement, iterative design, and combining technical expertise with stakeholder insight. The project demonstrated how structured engagement and adherence to recognised standards can deliver a practical solution for managing modern slavery risks.”

Paula Malthouse Project Manager – Defra group Sustainability Centre of Expertise

The Results & Impact​

The project delivered the Modern Slavery Maturity Toolkit, comprising an Excel-based assessment tool, detailed guidance, and dashboards. It covers nine key areas and applies a four-stage maturity model aligned with BS 25700 and PPN 009, providing clear indicators and examples for consistent application. 

Benefits
The toolkit offers a practical, user-friendly resource that enables organisations to self-assess, identify gaps, and plan improvements. It supports internal governance, resource allocation, and annual modern slavery statements, promoting a consistent and proactive approach across the Defra group. 

Lessons Learned (Development Perspective) 

  • Early stakeholder engagement was essential to define scope and ensure relevance. 
  • Iterative consultation and feedback improved usability and clarity. 
  • Aligning with recognised standards provided credibility and future-proofing. 
  • Building flexibility into the design (Excel-based, easy updates) was critical for long-term use. 
  • Professional design and clear guidance were needed to enhance adoption and accessibility. 
DEFRA case study
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Other

Defra Group strengthens modern slavery risk management with a group-wide maturity assessment and roadmap

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