Students tackle modern slavery in supply chains

A clever strategy to tackle modern slavery in renewable-energy supply chains earned a University of Auckland team second place in a major Australasian competition.

Team FairTrace, made up of law and commerce students Joel Newson and Renee Chandra, and law student Danielle van Rixel, took part in the Procure for Impact Challenge, organised by the Australasian Procurement and Construction Council and Academy Global. Forty-seven teams from across New Zealand and Australian universities took part, developing solutions to strengthen ethical procurement in the public sector.

The Auckland trio developed a strategy to combat modern slavery risks in the procurement of renewable energy.

The team's goal, says Chandra, was to emphasise that ethical procurement needs to move beyond voluntary commitments. “Without verification, enforceable obligations, and clear accountability pathways, integrity in supply chains can't be assured.”

FairTrace’s recommendations to improve transparency and reduce risk in renewable-energy supply chains included using independent ethical certifications for high-risk suppliers, redesigning contracting structures to support small and Indigenous businesses, and embedding clear enforcement mechanisms, such as transparent reporting and defined remediation obligations.

The competition’s judges praised the team for the clarity, feasibility, and depth of their proposal, noting its strong alignment with emerging best practice in ethical procurement.

Coach, Associate Professor Marta Andhov, says the team’s work reflects the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of procurement, which demands expertise that spans law, commerce, policy, and ethics.

Andhov, a leading scholar in public procurement and sustainability law, says the students transformed a complex global challenge into a practical, enforceable, and forward-looking procurement strategy.

“FairTrace successfully navigated the legal architecture of government contracting; they understood the levers for embedding ethical obligations and framed policy recommendations that were both ambitious and realistic.

“The team’s achievement demonstrates how legal education, when coupled with interdisciplinary collaboration and expert mentorship, can generate meaningful impact beyond the classroom,” says Andhov, whose research has shaped policy and procurement practice in several jurisdictions.

“It reflects the Law School’s leadership in public sector governance, and showcases the capacity of its students to contribute to real-world policy innovation.”

Chandra, Newson and van Rixel also benefited from mentoring from Associate Professor Christina Stringer, Director of the Business School’s Centre for Research on Modern Slavery. Stringer's expertise on forced labour and worker exploitation offered insights into the realities of modern slavery in global supply chains - context that strengthened the students’ understanding of risk and shaped their submission.