Sainsbury's fresh produce suppliers are to be given lessons in how to spot hidden exploitative practices at farms, pack houses, factories and operations throughout the global supply chain. 

British government investigator of labor exploitation the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) is holding bespoke training programs with the supermarket giant in what is being described as a 'ground-breaking partnership'.

The aim is to help Sainsbury's product suppliers turn detective to identify deliberately concealed or suspicious activity and keep exploitation out of the supply chain.

The first sessions pilot this week with GLA officers providing a package developed specifically for Sainsbury's, according to a release.

GLA chief executive Paul Broadbent says the program is a key part of the agency's work to raise awareness of worker exploitation within agriculture and horticulture sectors and all associated processing and packaging facilties.

"There is a real commitment and desire on both sides to identify any practice that subjects workers to exploitation," he says in a release.

"Such activity, by its very nature, is kept hidden by its perpetrators as far as possible and is difficult to detect but there are indicators to look out for and they are what we will be teaching Sainsbury's produce suppliers to spot.

"By raising awareness through training, Sainsbury's is showing a determination to identify any issues of concern. I applaud them for this and will continue to work alongside to tackle it."

The new program builds on the GLA's Supplier/Retail Protocol launched last October by U.K. Home Secretary Theresa May. The objective is for major retailers and suppliers to share information and intelligence with the GLA about suspicions and wrongdoings.

"Modern slavery within global supply chains is a serious issue and it is a priority of ours to work with our suppliers to address it," Sainsbury's brand director Judith Batchelar says.

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