A Framework for Action: What Can Brands Do?

There are many steps that brands can take within their own operations and supply chains to prevent, detect and remediate the human trafficking and forced labor of migrant workers.

The most effective action will be integrated within the business management system, and will begin at the top, with clearly worded policies that are communicated directly to all staff involved in sourcing decisions and social compliance. Such high-level policies – when properly communicated and incentivized – lay the foundation for broad, systemic and supply chain-wide adoption of effective mechanisms and approaches to prevent the exploitation of migrant workers.

Once these policies are established, brands must then take steps to raise awareness about the vulnerabilities of migrant workers to trafficking and forced labor – particularly where labor recruiters are present in supply chains – and the policies that are in place to prevent these vulnerabilities. This can be done through a variety of means, including trainings, distribution of educational materials, webinars, etc.

To round out the system of protections, auditing procedures should be strengthened and robust corrective action mechanisms developed to safeguard potential victims.

Finally, brands can bolster their external relations on issues of recruiters, trafficking and forced labor through an increase in transparency and public reporting of their own work, and engagement with other stakeholders and expand beyond their own business and supply chain interests to positively influence public policy to promote protective measures for migrant workers.

Click on the titles in the left-hand sidebar to learn more about the concrete actions brands can take to promote fair hiring and protect migrant workers, and to access Verité tools supporting these efforts.