Our slavery panel to present findings at Vatican conference where Pope Francis will speak on fight against scourge

The Evening Standard’s round table on modern slavery has been invited to present its findings to a key international conference at the Vatican which will be addressed by Pope Francis.

The round table, comprising leading figures from business, law, philanthropy and the media, will compile a report and devise recommendations for the prestigious Santa Marta conference early next year. Cardinal Vincent Nichols, chairman of the Standard’s group, said: “I have been happy to chair this round table on modern slavery.

“I look forward to presenting our recommendations at the Vatican in February. Pope Francis takes a special interest in combating this evil crime, which strips victims of their innate humanity by taking away their freedom. It has no place in today’s world.”

Cardinal Nichols, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, added: “Through the work of the Santa Marta Group, the Catholic Church has taken a lead in developing partnerships with police forces to ensure the safety and well-being of every victim of human trafficking, the breaking up of criminal networks and the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of this terrible crime.”

The Santa Marta conference, formed two years ago, is a leading anti-slavery event that draws together police forces and other authorities from around the world to help provide global solutions to the issue of modern slavery.

The round table also includes Kevin Hyland, the independent anti-slavery commissioner; newsreader and TV presenter Julie Etchingham; Monique Villa, chief executive of the Thomson Reuters Foundation; Jean Baderschneider of the Global Fund to End Slavery; Yasmin Waljee from law firm Hogan Lovells; Unilever chief executive Paul Polman; Sir Matt Baggott, former chief constable of Northern Ireland, and John Studzinski, vice-chairman of investment giant Blackstone.

“I am delighted to have been part of this initiative,” said Mr Studzinski, who is also vice-chairman of Human Rights Watch and has been an anti-modern slavery campaigner for many years.

He added: “The Evening Standard has played an important role in the movement. Investigations such as this are vital for helping to raise awareness and inspire concrete change. As the paper has shown, being an apostle against modern slavery is not only powerful and necessary, but also so urgent. I look forward to presenting our recommendations in Rome.”

The Standard’s special investigation has exposed the scale of modern slavery in London, showing how it goes far beyond the horrors of sex trafficking. Nail bars, car washes, cannabis farms and building sites are centres of abuse and exploitation, while domestic workers are also vulnerable. The investigation will now pause while the panel considers its findings.