The Board of the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) has announced a new resolution to fight forced labour issues throughout global supply chains.
According to the CGF, its member companies have long been involved in promoting decent working conditions globally, but recognise that getting rid of forced labour in complex global supply chains remains a challenge.
Supply chains often include some of the poorest countries with limited institutional capacity for regulation protecting workers’ rights. The covert nature of forced labour, as well as emerging trends in mass migration and the prominence of the informal sector, makes it difficult to prevent human rights abuses.
Co-sponsors of the CGF’s Sustainability Pillar, Marks & Spencer Chief Executive Marc Bolland and Unilever Chief Executive Officer Paul Polman, stated, "As part of our wider efforts to promote human rights and decent working conditions worldwide, we acknowledge the broad societal problem of modern slavery and we strive to eradicate forced labour from our value chains.
"In doing so, we will harness the power of collective action as an industry group to identify and address issues and geographies of shared concern, enhancing the efficiency of any individual company initiatives in this area."
Currently an estimated 21 million people are working in conditions that fall under the ILO definition of forced labour, in which they are coerced to work through the use of violence and intimidation, or through means such as accumulated debt, retention of identity papers or threats of being reported to immigration authorities.
Director of Anti-Slavery International, Aidan McQuade, has welcomed the resolution, saying, “Industry leaders can only do so much at an individual company level, so such a global collaboration and commitment is crucial to helping to eradicate forced labour from value chains.”
The resolution has been described as taking a tailored approach, and will target key issues in selected geographies and commodities to achieve change. Further details on this approach are set to be revealed in the coming months.
Consumer goods companies interested in working on the issue of slave labour are invited to join the CGF’s member-led working groups.
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Jenny Whelan. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
