SFS has a team of some of the world’s foremost experts on modern slavery, including international lawyers specialising in human rights and maritime law, world-leading academics, and a diverse group of advocates from the private sector. We use research-based legal remedies to facilitate justice for seafarers trapped in exploitative conditions around the globe. Supported by a network of volunteers, NGOs and international organisations, SFS has the experience and global legal resources to implement jurisdiction-specific strategies to identify dirty supply chains, promote accountability and ensure that victims are provided remedies for the harms committed against them. SFS has four operational areas – Research, Remedies, Relationships, and Remuneration. Central to SFS work is a practical legal toolbox – a key and innovative resource – supported by LexisNexis, a global legal entity that offers specialised skills in this area. This toolbox distils not only the law but also protocols, pro forma documents, practical tips and procedures into a blueprint for action that will be relevant in any jurisdiction.
The SFS Toolbox can be used to address issues of perceived legal complexity, failures or shortcomings in the investigation and prosecution of sea-based exploitation, and inadequate regulation. It is best used with the support of trained legal professionals, although it will also serve as a valuable training tool for NGOs and others fighting slavery internationally.