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Article

22 Dec 2014

Author:
Diana Kearney, NYU International Law and Human Rights, on Oxfam America blog

Commentary: US bill would require companies to disclose efforts to address trafficking & forced labour

"Congress weighs the cost of slavery", 11 Dec 2014

[H]uman trafficking and enslavement infect virtually every industry...The pervasiveness of forced labor and the ever-growing complexity of corporate supply chains make it impossible for consumers to make informed...decisions when choosing which brand to buy...A...bill in the House of Representatives seeks to change that...[T]he "Business Supply Chain Transparency on Trafficking and Slavery Act," will revolutionize the way...large multinationals confront forced labor...The bill opens with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights’ affirmation that businesses have a responsibility to respect human rights. H.R. 4842 then mandates that companies grossing over $100 million per year: publicly disclose their slavery and human trafficking policies; announce any concrete efforts undertaken to address trafficking or provide remediation to victims; and evaluate forced labor risks along their supply chain – which includes all suppliers, regardless of whether the business has a direct or indirect relationship with said business – as well as the methods used for identifying these risks...What may at first appear an onerous regulation may in fact benefit trafficking victims and business alike...