The COVID-19 pandemic has increased workers’ vulnerability to modern slavery across global apparel and manufacturing supply chains. In addition to exacerbating risks to workers, the pandemic has increased consumers’ visibility on where and how the goods they purchase are produced. As economies recover and global production rapidly resumes, we see heightened consumer demand for ethical sourcing.
Governments have joined these consumers in calling on businesses to build back better and eliminate forced labor from their supply chains. Brands and buyers are increasingly challenged to understand and address risks of modern slavery at all levels of their supply chain operations. While companies can ensure that clear policies and supplier codes of conduct are in place, these policies have limited power in a highly opaque supply chain.
We have identified three promising tools that can help brands and buyers assess the risk of forced labor, identify high-risk producers in the supply chain, and provide tangible solutions to remediate violations.