Key Takeaways
- New forced labour import bans can disrupt supply chains overnight and without warning, even where actual supplier‑level forced labour risk is low
- Procurement teams must now consider forced labour as a trade and geopolitical risk, not only as a responsible business and compliance matter
- Businesses should prioritise critical inputs, map country-level sourcing and enforcement risk, and build scenario-led response capabilities before goods are detained at the border
Forced labour laws are rapidly becoming a source of geopolitical risk across global supply chains in 2026. Regimes such as the UFLPA in the US, Canada's forced labour prohibition, and the forthcoming EU Forced Labour Regulation, are increasingly operating as de facto trade controls across borders, empowering authorities to detain shipments immediately, with no grace period or warning.
This insight will be released publicly on 2nd July. If you would like to read it now, please request a copy of the full Supply Chain Risk Outlook report.
For any media enquiries relating to this insight, please contact press@maplecroft.com.
