Forced Labour: Why it is an issue for Employers and Business

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Forced Labour Why it is an issue for Employers
and Business 
By Brent Wilton Deputy Secretary-General
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• Forced labour an issue in the ILO since 1930
• Eradication of forced labour a principle in the
  1998 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and
  Rights at Work
• Less emphasis/immediacy compared to other
  principles
• Despite ILO activity on forced labour in Myanmar,
  little employer engagement

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• Situation is changing
• Risk assessments now encompassing forced labour
  supply chain
• Greater NGO attention often via
  trafficking/slavery
• Increasing awareness of consumers and buyers
• Increasing pressure to respect fundamental/human
  rights

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• Issue for buyers from the region
• Suppliers can fall into grey/informal economy
• Where trafficked people enter the labour market
  within the supply chain
• For employers at national level, forced labour
  impacts on
• Their own supply chains
• Human resource policies hiring
• Labour practices (with holding ID/bonds)
• Remediation

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• For employers organizations
• Promotion of respect of fundamental/human rights
• Sensitization of employers
• Assessing national risk
• Repository of knowledge and information
• Training (local law, identification)