The information and communications technology sector(ICT) is at high risk of forced labour. A significant number ofworkers in electronics supply chains are migrant workers who are particularly vulnerable to exploitation. The US Department of Labour lists China and Malaysia as countries where electronics may be produced using forced labour. In fact, a 2014 Verité study found that nearly a third of migrant workers in Malaysia’s electronics sector are in situations of forced labour.

To mark the third anniversary of the passage of the UK Modern Slavery Act, this report analyzes how companies in this at-risk sector are responding to this legislative requirement. The UK Modern Slavery Act is the most far- reaching global legislation on forced labour and humantrafficking currently in effect, as it affects any globalcompany that has a turnover of £36 million or more and carries out business in the UK. Most notably, it is the first piece of legislation that requires not only annual reporting on the steps taken to address modern slavery in a company’s own operations and supply chains, but also board approval and a director’s signature on the company’s public statement – ensuring that senior management, as well as boards, pay attention to the issue of forced labour.

To understand to what extent the sector is aware of and responding to this legislation, we analyzed large- and medium-size global ICT companies and identified 102companies from Asia, Europe, and the United States required to report under the Modern Slavery Act. We reached out to 23 of those companies that had not published a statement. We also assessed compliance among published statements with the minimum requirements of the Modern Slavery Act: the statement must be linked on the homepage of the company’s website, signed by a director or equivalent, and approved by the board.

We additionally evaluated all the identified ICT companies’statements against KnowTheChain’s benchmark methodology, which comprises seven themes: commitment and governance, traceability and risk assessment, purchasing practices, recruitment, worker voice, monitoring, and remedy. All statements receive a score out of 100. Disappointingly, 85% of the analyzed statements scored below 25. This reporthighlights promising practices, as well as gaps identifiedagainst our methodology, and makes recommendations to companies.

Eradicating Forced Labour in Electronics - Know The Chain, 2018 DOWNLOAD

post

page

attachment

revision

nav_menu_item

custom_css

customize_changeset

oembed_cache

user_request

wp_block

acf-field-group

acf-field

ai1ec_event

Role of organized criminal groups with regard to contemporary forms of slavery
Publications

The present report is submitted in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 42/10. By providing examples from all geographical regions, it assesses the role of organized criminal groups in contemporary forms of slavery. To that end, the profi...Read More

TAGS: Global
Supermarket Responsibilities for Supply Chain Workers’ Rights – Continuing Challenges in Seafood Supply Chains and the Case for Stronger Supermarket Action
Publications

International food supply chains provide employment for tens of millions of women and men around the world, demonstrating the potential for private sector actors to fight poverty and inequality. Yet far too many work in appalling conditions. The o...Read More

Female Perpetrators in Internal Child Trafficking in China: An Empirical Study
Publications

Abstract Through an empirical study, this article explores the overall profile of female traffickers of children in China and their role and performance in the trafficking processes. Its contribution to the human trafficking literature lies in i...Read More

Lived Experience of Migrant Women: Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait
Publications

In one-to-one interviews and focus groups, female migrant workers in Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain recounted their experiences with violence in the workplace and how they navigated formal and informal grievance mechanisms. Through their insights, we ai...Read More