Global Forced Labor Regulations: Practical Implications for Businesses

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Webinar Overview

Forced labor and modern slavery regulations are evolving quickly – and the rules are no longer limited to the EU and US.

This webinar explores the rapidly evolving landscape of forced labor regulations, with a practical focus on forced labour bans, due diligence obligations and the steps companies can take to prepare for emerging requirements.

You’ll gain insight into both established and emerging legal frameworks beyond the EU and US, including developments across the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

If you operate in fashion, electronics, or other global supply chains, getting ahead of these requirements now – and adjusting your due diligence systems early – puts your business in a stronger position.

Webinar Agenda

In this session, we’ll explore:

Key aspects of forced labor and modern slavery regulations
The latest EU and US developments: EU Forced Labor Regulation guidelines vs. CBP UFLPA guidelines
How the EU Forced Labor Regulation is being implemented
USTR investigations and forced labor bans
Emerging developments in the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand

Date

This webinar will take place on Wednesday, 26th August, 2026 at 08:00 PDT, 11:00 EDT, 17:00 CET.

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Presenters

Joanne O’Donnell, Director Global Regulatory Compliance Team, Adherent

Joanne heads up a team of over 40 international product regulatory specialists at Adherent. She qualified as a lawyer in Ireland in 2003 and has extensive legal experience spanning private practice, in-house, and industry at both national and international level. Joanne has worked with Adherent for over 14 years and has a particular interest and focus on Sustainability, Human Rights, and ESG.

Joanne has a Bachelor of Law from the National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland. She also has a Masters in Public International law from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, Switzerland and a Masters in French from the University of Limerick, Ireland. She is also a former alumni of the Business and Human Rights Masters Course at the University of Bergen, Norway.

Cristian Barroso, Regulatory Compliance Specialist, Adherent

Cristian is a Regulatory Compliance Specialist with over nine years of experience in environmental compliance and human rights. He has a strong interest and expertise in ESG, human rights, sustainable supply chains, WEEE, circular economy, ecodesign, energy efficiency, and sustainable resource use.

Cristian joined Adherent in 2024 after building a diverse career across law firms, human rights and environmental organisations, and an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme.

He holds a Law degree from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, as well as two LLM master’s degrees: an LLM in Human Rights from the University of Alcalá in Spain and an LLM in Environmental and Natural Resources Law from University College Cork in Ireland.

Nedaa Yousef, Regulatory Compliance Analyst, Adherent

Nedaa is a legal expert with a Ph.D. in Law. Her work covers critical areas such as forced labour and supply chain due diligence, ESG reporting, circular economy requirements, and product safety. By analysing and organising complex legal frameworks, Nedaa helps organisations navigate regulatory challenges, ensure compliance, and unlock new market opportunities.

Nedaa’s PhD research focused on trafficking for forced labour: a topic that not only deepens Nedaa’s understanding of regulatory and human rights frameworks but also informs her work as a co-primary Subject Matter Expert in Human Trafficking and Slavery by highlighting the importance of robust compliance mechanisms in addressing exploitation within global supply chains.

Kayleigh Duane, Regulatory Compliance Analyst, Adherent

Kayleigh began her journey with Adherent as a Student Researcher in September 2022, continuing through her final year of college. She graduated from the University of Galway in 2024 with a Bachelor of Civil Law and Human Rights. She transitioned to a full-time Regulatory Compliance Analyst role in May 2024 and is currently sitting her FE1 examinations for the Law Society of Ireland.

Her focus areas include human trafficking and slavery, human rights – affected communities, illegal logging and drinking water.