The Reputational Risk of Human Rights Abuses in Supply Chains

In a globalized economy, companies operating across sectors are often required to source goods and services from a complex network of suppliers spanning across nations.

While geographically dispersed supply chains provide companies with access to new labor markets and emerging technology, they also present serious human rights risks that are difficult to monitor and mitigate.

From forced labor and human trafficking to abusive child labor, human rights violations have been a longstanding issue for global supply chains. According to the latest figures from the UN’s International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Walk Free Foundation, today around 40.3 million people are engaged in some form of modern slavery, which is three times the figure witnessed during the transatlantic slave trade.

This white paper addresses:

• The impact on human rights abuses on businesses and communities
• Recent regulatory developments
• Best practices in regulatory controls