Harnessing Data and Intelligence for Collective Advantage 2026

The structural barriers outlined above do not operate in isolation. Together, they reinforce one another to create a self-perpetuating cycle in which limited visibility constrains accountability, weak accountability dampens incentives and a lack of trust prevents collaboration. This dynamic explains why progress remains slow even as awareness and regulation increase: information grows, but intelligence does not. In practice, this vicious cycle manifests in three interlinked ways: 1 Fragmented visibility: Data from audits, inspections, regulators and supply chain information is often scattered across multiple organizations and stakeholders, making it challenging to combine and analyse it effectively to identify patterns of risk or root causes. 2 Duplicated effort: Stakeholders often assess the same limited set of workplaces or suppliers, rather than building on one another’s findings to expand visibility to those currently unseen. In the absence of interoperable frameworks, the lack of aligned definitions and data sharing mechanisms limits reach and wastes resources, creating fatigue for both workers and employers. 3 Inhibited accountability: Without shared evidence, responsibility for remedy and prevention remains unclear and diffuse. Overcoming the current cycle of fragmentation is not merely a technical challenge but a moral, economic and governance imperative. Forced labour persists because visibility and accountability remain uneven across the system. Even as data collection, compliance and reporting proliferate, the absence of shared intelligence prevents these efforts from adding up to real prevention. Without mechanisms that allow multiple actors to generate shared insight from distributed data while retaining control over their own information, efforts to eliminate forced labour will continue to be reactive and fragmented. Investments in data collection and compliance generate value for individual actors but fail to accumulate into a collective capacity for prevention at a systemic level. As a result: –Workers remain vulnerable because warning signals are missed. –Businesses face rising regulatory pressure and reputational risk without better tools for collaboration. –Governments struggle to enforce labour laws and standards efficiently across complex supply chains. –Civil society organizations operate with limited visibility into where their efforts are most needed. Breaking this cycle requires an approach that makes data work as a shared asset – trusted, secure and actionable for all stakeholders. Only by creating systems that unlock collective advantage can the global community move from isolated effort to sustained impact. This transformation is both urgent and achievable. Emerging data technologies, shared governance models and regulatory momentum create a window of opportunity to act collectively. Addressing forced labour requires a systemic response equal to a systemic challenge, one that connects incentives, technologies and governance into a coherent global framework. Section 2 introduces the Global Data Partnership Against Forced Labour, a practical model for transforming fragmented information into shared intelligence, coordinated action and measurable impact at scale.1.3 Breaking the vicious cycle Addressing forced labour requires a systemic response equal to a systemic challenge, one that connects incentives, technologies and governance into a coherent global framework. Harnessing Data and Intelligence for Collective Advantage: Ending Forced Labour in Global Supply Chains 9