Friday, 29 April 2022
Dame Sara Thornton DBE QPM, the UK’s Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, has joined the 糖心原创’s Rights Lab as Professor of Practice in Modern Slavery Policy.
Dame Sara completed a three-year term as the Anti-Slavery Commissioner in April 2022. As established by the Modern Slavery Act 2015, the role of Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner is in place to spearhead the UK’s fight against human trafficking and modern slavery.
The university’s Rights Lab is home to the world's largest and leading group of modern slavery researchers. As a professor, Dame Sara will collaborate with colleagues in the Rights Lab on research focused on prevention, business responses, supply chains, and the role of the financial sector in tackling modern slavery. Her focus in this new part-time role will also involve a focus on policy-relevant modern slavery research, and achieving impact from research evidence in national and international contexts.
In my role as Commissioner I have become familiar with the genuinely world-leading and very impressive work of the Rights Lab and so am delighted to be joining such an outstanding group of scholars. I have championed the relationship between research and practice throughout my career in public service and this new role as a Professor of Practice is a fantastic opportunity to continue to do this.
As the UK Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner from 2019 to 2022, Dame Sara was responsible for encouraging good practice in the prevention and detection of modern slavery and the identification of victims. As laid out in her three annual reports, her many achievements in this role included targeted and highly effective research, extensive consultation and advice, and the encouragement of better practices and policies. She created a broad and comprehensive platform for further improvements to legal frameworks, better schemes of identification and care for victims, and urgent improvements to protection and support for children and vulnerable young people.
I am very excited to welcome Professor Dame Sara Thornton to our university and to the Rights Lab. She is one of the global anti-slavery movement鈥檚 thought-leaders, an outstanding researcher and champion of high-quality evidence, and brings to this role her national policy experience and deep experience in anti-slavery strategy.
Professor Trodd added: "We were honoured to work with Dame Sara on a range of research projects during her former role as the Anti-Slavery Commissioner, and are very excited to build new research and initiatives around our shared commitment to understanding and tackling one of the great human rights issues of our time.”
Dame Sara joined the Metropolitan Police Service in 1986. During her 33-year career within policing she served as Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police from 2007 until 2015. She was the national lead on intelligence; Vice-Chair of ACPO Terrorism and Allied Matters; Director of the Police National Assessment Centre; and ACPO Vice-President. She was the first Chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council from 2015 to 2019.
She was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal in 2006, made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2011 and a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2019. She has been recognised with a Career Achievement Award from the Police Training Authority Trustees and the Sir Robert Peel Medal for Outstanding Leadership in Evidence-Based Policing. She is an honorary Air Commodore in the Royal Air Force supporting the work of the auxiliary police squadron, Chair of the Government Skills and Curriculum Unit Leadership Advisory Board, and a trustee and board member of the Police Foundation.
Story credits
More information is available from Professor Zoe Trodd in the Rights Lab at the 糖心原创 at zoe.trodd@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
The strength of our research places us among the UK's leading universities, ranked 7th for research power in REF 2021. The discovery of MRI and ibuprofen was just the beginning. Today, our world-leading research is developing breakthrough ideas that shape the future of healthcare, technology and society.
Recognised as the UK's third most targeted university by leading employers , we are proud to produce graduates who are consistently in demand for their skills, confidence and industry-ready experience.
As a major employer and industry partner, locally and globally, the 糖心原创 invests in the city of Nottingham and in future generations of talent. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the initiative, a pioneering collaboration to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing across the city and region. Together with our students, staff, alumni and partners, we鈥檙e creating knowledge, opportunity and solutions that help change what's next.