slavery
A new bill in Congress would require large companies to reveal any
efforts to ensure that child labor, forced labor, and other forms of
modern-day slavery did not contribute to their products.
A poster released by Airline Ambassadors International is designed to
bring awareness to the issue of human trafficking. The organization
has joined with several non-profits, government groups, and
corporations to increase attention as well as providing trainings for
airline and hospitality personnel to detect abductions at airports and
hotels.
Courtesy of Airline Ambassadors International
By Patrick Wall, Contributor / August 5, 2011
New York
Do schoolchildren in Uzbekistan or forced laborers in China pick the
cotton that ends up in an American T-shirt?
Human Trafficking Social Issues Computer and Peripheral Equipment
Manufacturing Information Technology Sector Manufacturing Sector
Technology Sector Human Rights
"It's virtually impossible to get dressed, drive to work, talk on the
phone, or eat a meal without touching products tainted by forced
labor," said Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D) of New York, at a news
conference Wednesday.
Representative Maloney introduced a bill this week that would require
large US companies to disclose their efforts to ensure that no young
children, adult slaves, or human trafficking victims are part of their
supply chains. While the rule would not compel companies to take such
precautions, it could give those that do a competitive edge.
Consumers "might want to buy a shirt that's not made with slave
labor," said Maloney. "And they'll be able to do it with this
reporting system."
IN PICTURES: World's worst human rights violators
The bill faces an uphill battle to become a law, notes Steven Cohen,
professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University
in New York.
It takes on a practice – modern-day slavery – that is "ethically
repugnant," he says, "but I don't think the Republican-controlled
House is going to pass any sort of law regulating corporate behavior
at this point."
The bill would require any company earning more than $100 million
worldwide to document its efforts in two places: its annual Securities
and Exchange Commissions (SEC) filing, and the company's website.
These disclosures would detail the companies' policies to prevent
illegal labor and their methods for certifying that suppliers abide by
them.
Supporters say this legislation is only the first step in purging
forced labor and human trafficking from the supply chain. Tougher
laws, say advocates, must wait until the economy improves and – they
hope – resistance to business regulation subsides.
Still, the bill has the potential to spur companies into action by
subjecting their supplier standards to public scrutiny, says E.
Benjamin Skinner, author of the book, "A Crime So Monstrous: Face-to-
Face with Modern-Day Slavery."
"The Congresswoman was very intelligent about the way she's put this
together," says Mr. Skinner. "[The disclosure] has to be in an SEC
filing. If you lie as a CEO in an SEC filing, you go to jail."
This legislation is modeled on a 2010 California law that encourages
retailers and manufacturers in the state to keep slavery and human
trafficking out of their supply chains. When it takes effect in 2012,
large companies will have to post their supplier policies on their
websites, including any evaluations, audits, or trainings to prevent
forced labor.
Several state trade groups opposed the bill. The California Chamber of
Commerce said the law takes "a punitive and heavy-handed approach to
companies," burdening them with new costs and regulations. The US
Chamber of Commerce has not yet taken a public stance on the federal
bill.
The face of modern-day slavery
During the past several decades, American corporations have
increasingly turned to overseas suppliers for raw materials and
manufactured goods. When their search for cheap products leads these
companies to nations with limited worker protections, they risk
funding so-called modern-day slavery – work obtained through force,
fraud, or coercion.
Millions of children, women, and men around the world are forced into
their jobs. Against their will, they produce coffee in Kenya,
electronics in China, rubber in Burma – nearly 130 goods in 70
countries, according to a 2010 US Department of Labor report.
Public awareness of modern-day slavery and human trafficking has grown
in recent years. Partly in response, some major US companies have
started to voluntarily monitor their suppliers' labor practices and to
make those practices public.
For example, Hewlett-Packard, the technology giant, has audited 681 of
its 1,200-some production supply sites, and posted details from the
inspections to its website.
The practice makes good business sense, says Karen Stauss, program
director at the nonprofit group Free The Slaves. Companies prevent
embarrassing labor violations while acting as good corporate citizens
– which they can advertise to their customers.
Despite these benefits, says Ms. Stauss, many corporations still need
prodding.
"I don't think there's any business in America that wants to have
slavery in their supply chain," she says. "They just haven't taken the
effort to root it out."
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