Modern slavery remains a persistent issue despite growing awareness across business, government, and civil society. A key reason for its prevalence is the difficulty in detecting it, particularly in multi-tier supply chains with fragmented operations, where exploitative practices can remain concealed. Much research has focused on the physical and legislative distance that allows modern slavery to thrive, especially in outsourced supply chains. However, some researchers argue that modern slavery is not always hidden but unreported, due to managerial reluctance or psychological distance from the issue. This paper explores why modern slavery often goes unnoticed, using the concept of ethical blindness to examine a case study of severe exploitation in Brazil’s wine industry, where violence and unethical practices persist even after public exposure.
