Modern slavery supplier questionnaires for Australian manufacturers

Know who has mandatory reporting duties

Under the Commonwealth Modern Slavery Act 2018, covered Australian or Australia-operating entities with annual consolidated revenue of at least A$100 million generally have mandatory annual reporting obligations. Many smaller companies are not directly required to report, but supply larger organisations that request information.

The statutory statement must address defined reporting criteria about risks, actions and effectiveness. Consult the Attorney-General's Department and Modern Slavery Statements Register for the current requirements and guidance.

Create proportionate questionnaire tiers

A basic supplier check may cover legal identity, operations, policies and key supply chain information. Higher-risk suppliers may need more detailed evidence, clarification and review, depending on factors such as country, industry, workforce and supply relationship.

An online supplier workflow can track requests, responses, documents, responsible reviewers and follow-up tasks. Do not equate a completed form with verified absence of modern slavery.

• Record the risk rationale for each question
• Use higher scrutiny where risk justifies it
• Track unanswered requests and evidence gaps
• Document internal review and subsequent action

Reporting is a governance process

Management must evaluate the evidence, decide on actions, assess their effectiveness and prepare any required statement. Software can support that work but cannot guarantee an entity's compliance or determine its exact legal position.

SupplySpec supports supplier registers, questionnaires and document workflows intended to make evidence easier to organise and review.