As the risk of human trafficking and modern slavery rises on the radar, compliance teams need to start their risk assessment by looking at the map, says Sam Logan, CEO and founder of Evidencity. The number of jurisdictions with laws in this area are increasing.
In addition, some countries have far greater risk than others, with long histories of exploitation. Remember, though, that there is no such thing as a safe geography. A janitorial service in the US was found to be using child labor, and an Italian luxury goods maker’s contractor is alleged to have subcontracted with a business using Chinese laborers illegally in Italy.
The key lesson from these cases: look closely at your suppliers to better understand where and how they do business.
Be sure to review them not just when beginning a relationship but on an ongoing basis. Take a risk-based approach, focusing your efforts where the likelihood of modern slavery and human trafficking is greater.
Finally, don’t forget about your customers. No organization wants to see its products used by forced or child labor.