Deadline: 07-Aug-2026
Nominations are open for annual UK awards recognising individuals, organisations, and groups contributing to the prevention and response to modern slavery. The programme highlights impactful work that strengthens survivor outcomes, improves systems, and advances long-term solutions to exploitation.
The awards combine recognition with a small financial prize and focus on practical impact across prevention, protection, recovery, and survivor leadership.
About the Awards
- The awards recognise contributions to tackling modern slavery in the UK.
- They highlight work carried out over the past year.
- Eligible contributions span public, private, and voluntary sectors.
- The programme emphasises survivor-centred and system-level impact.
- Collaboration, innovation, and long-term improvement are key priorities.
- Self-nominations and organisational self-nominations are not permitted.
Award Categories
Systemic Change and Prevention
- Work that reduces vulnerability to modern slavery.
- Policy advocacy and structural change initiatives.
- Efforts that strengthen survivor rights and protections.
- System-wide interventions addressing root causes.
Survivor Support and Recovery
- Frontline services supporting survivors.
- Holistic care models improving recovery outcomes.
- Direct assistance and reintegration support.
- Long-term wellbeing-focused interventions.
Survivor Leadership and Voice
- Initiatives empowering survivors with lived experience.
- Leadership roles for survivors in programme design.
- Advocacy led by or centred on survivor perspectives.
- Contributions that shape anti-slavery strategies.
Statutory and Public Service Excellence
- Public services exceeding legal obligations.
- Innovative statutory responses to modern slavery.
- Improved coordination across agencies.
- Enhanced safeguarding and enforcement practices.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible nominees include:
- Individuals working in anti-slavery initiatives.
- Organisations across public, private, and voluntary sectors.
- Community groups and survivor-led initiatives.
- Public officials contributing to anti-slavery efforts.
Nomination requirements:
- Must be submitted by someone professionally connected to the field.
- Service users may also submit nominations.
- Self-nominations are not allowed.
- Organisations cannot nominate themselves.
- Clear description of nominee’s work is required.
Assessment Criteria
Nominations are evaluated based on:
- Measurable impact on modern slavery prevention or response.
- Strength of collaboration and partnership working.
- Innovation in approach and delivery.
- Long-term improvements for survivors.
- Evidence of going beyond standard responsibilities.
- Contribution to survivor empowerment and recovery.
- Overall effectiveness and sustainability of outcomes.
Award Information
- Each winner receives a trophy.
- Winners also receive a £1,000 financial award.
- No additional funding structure or duration is defined.
- Recognition is based on comparative evaluation of nominations.
- Multiple nominations for the same nominee do not influence scoring.
Nomination Process
- Nominations are open to external submitters only.
- Submissions must clearly describe the nominee’s work.
- Prior knowledge of the nominee’s activities is not assumed.
- Supporting evidence of impact should be included where possible.
- Evaluation is based strictly on submitted information.
Why These Awards Matter
- Modern slavery remains a hidden and evolving issue in the UK.
- Frontline and systemic work both play essential roles in response.
- Survivor leadership improves the quality and relevance of interventions.
- Cross-sector collaboration strengthens prevention and recovery systems.
- Recognition helps amplify effective and innovative practices.
- Highlighting impact encourages higher standards across the sector.
Expected Impact
- Improved visibility of anti-slavery initiatives.
- Greater recognition of survivor-led approaches.
- Strengthened collaboration across sectors.
- Increased innovation in prevention and response models.
- Enhanced survivor outcomes through shared learning.
- Encouragement of system-level improvements.
Conclusion
The UK Modern Slavery Impact Awards recognise high-impact contributions across prevention, survivor support, leadership, and public service excellence. By celebrating innovation, collaboration, and survivor-centred approaches, the programme reinforces efforts to reduce exploitation and improve outcomes for individuals affected by modern slavery across the United Kingdom.
For more information, visit Human Trafficking Foundation.
