Departing CIPS Chair Alison Barto on horizon scanning, co-innovation with suppliers and why procurement's role is now about bringing the outside world in. Plus, the remarkable sense of belonging that CIPS members enjoy as part of a global community. Alison also shares her proudest achievement as CIPS' Chair and the biggest changes she's made during her tenure.

Related links

• Find out more about becoming part of the global CIPS community
• Meet the CIPS Global Board of Trustees

An estimated 28 million people are employed in forced labour in supply chains. Procurement professionals are on the frontline of this global crime - one estimated to be worth half a trillion dollars. It is a challenge the CIPS Foundation is working with UK-based modern slavery charity Unseen to tackle head on by providing funding to turn data from its Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline into actionable insights for procurement professionals.

In this CIPS Foundation special we lift the lid on an issue that exposes organisations to significant financial, legal and reputational risks - where "plausible deniability" is no longer an option and fundamental human rights are at stake. Andrew Wallis OBE, CEO of Unseen, and Sodexo's Madeline Fitton MCIPS, founder and chair of the BSA Modern Slavery Council, share what progress has been made 10 years on from the UK's landmark Modern Slavery Act.

We uncover the scale of the challenge facing procurement, address why effective legislation must be designed as a "spiky carrot", and provide essential advice on how to identify and respond to modern slavery in your own supply chain.

Further reading:

• Learn more about the CIPS Foundation
• Read: How the CIPS Foundation is supporting Unseen
• Watch: CIPS Foundation & Unseen tackling modern slavery together
• Find out more about Unseen and the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline

Is AI the answer to resolving disputes with your suppliers? Yes... and no - as we find out in the final instalment of this mini-series. While the human input and experience of professionals remains critical to forging and maintaining supplier relationships that keep businesses running, we explore where AI is reshaping procurement roles when it comes to negotiation, contract management and resolving conflict.

Hear from resolutiion's Fayola-Maria Jack and Katarzyna Hewelt on how AI is reducing costs caused by disputes by up to a third, and making contract management faster and more accurate at identifying risks - removing future sources of conflict at source. Acting as a co-pilot, AI gives procurement the time to focus on the strategy and relationships that drive true value for their organisations, explain our guests.

Additional reading:

• Download: CIPS & resolutiion Breaking the Deadlock report
• Read: CIPS Intelligence hub - supplier relationship management
• Watch: Leveraging AI to improve conflict management in procurement
• Read: Interview with resolutiion CEO, Fayola Maria-Jack on how AI is benefitting procurement and supply

This podcast mini-series is brought to you by the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS), in partnership with resolutiion.