AI review of 15,000 modern slavery statements exposes widespread boilerplate

Large-scale text analysis finds a third of statements share near-identical template language, and quantifies the gap between disclosure and actual due diligence.

Researchers applying language models to fifteen thousand UK and Australian modern slavery statements found 34% relied on near-identical template passages, with year-on-year changes often limited to updated dates and revenue figures.

The study provides regulators with a screening tool: statements scoring high on boilerplate correlate strongly with absent due diligence when companies are audited.