Urgent Action Needed to Protect Children From Labor Exploitation
As organizations working to address human trafficking and labor exploitation, we are appalled by the horrific conditions children experienced after fleeing to the United States for refuge. This series in the New York Times demonstrates our government’s inability, unwillingness, or outright refusal to protect minors from forced labor.
Guidance for Companies on Understanding the Distribution of Child Labor Risk in the United States
A widely-read New York Times article on child labor by unaccompanied child migrants, published in February 2023, detailed the way that young people fleeing economic and political crises in Central America have collided with the tight US labor market and inadequate US labor law enforcement to create a “perfect storm” for child exploitation in the United States.
Is Human Trafficking Hidden in Your Facilities Management Supply Chain?
To announce the formal launch of the Responsible Sourcing Tool (RST) Facilities Services toolkit, Verité and the US Department of State – JTIP hosted a public webinar in January 2023. In attendance were more than 250 participants from over 30 countries, representing a wide variety of business sectors, government agencies, social auditing firms, NGOs, and industry associations.
STREAMS Side-Session at the OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector
In February 2023, Verité’s Supply Chain Tracing and Engagement Methodologies (STREAMS) project hosted a side-session event at the OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector on “Traceability for Supply Chain Due Diligence and Sustainability in the Garment Sector.” The session showcased pilots by STREAMS partners Better Cotton and the Responsible Sourcing Network.
CUMULUS at CBP Forced Labor Technical Expo
On March 14, 2023, Verité’s CUMULUS Forced Labor Screen™ platform was showcased at CBP’s Forced Labor Technical Expo at the International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. The two-day in-person and live-streamed event focused on technical solutions to supply chain mapping, risk assessment, and transparency to facilitate compliance with the U.S. ban on imported goods made in whole or in part using forced labor.
The Supply Chain Traceability Matrix
Do you have questions about traceability in supply chains? Are you interested in learning about how different traceability approaches can enhance due diligence goals? The STREAMS Supply Chain Traceability Matrix (the Matrix) seeks to address these questions and more. The Matrix will help users understand how to use traceability elements, methods, and technologies to design traceability systems that can address forced labor and child labor risks in diverse supply chains.
Training Session with Sugarcane Workers
As part of the SENDEROS Project’s services to the Tala supply chain in Jalisco, a training session with 16 sugarcane workers took place in the Ameca municipality. In Tala, sugarcane harvesters are mainly local residents. The training covered the Biological Risks (occupational safety and health) topic showcasing how to identify dangerous animals in the region and act in case of an attack. This module also included recommendations on the COVID-19 topic.
Publication of Living Income and Living Wage Study for the Colombian Coffee Sector
On March 27, 2023, Verité in partnership with the Anker Research Institute, published the “Living Income and Living Wage Report: Rural Areas and Small Towns of Central Colombia.” The study results provide a living wage and living income benchmark for a pilot project being carried out by Verité in Colombia under the U.S. Department of Labor-funded Cooperation On Fair Free Equitable Employment (COFFEE) Project.
Webinar: Traceability for Supply Chain Due Diligence and Sustainability in the Garment Sector
Save the date for Complimentary Webinar “Traceability for Supply Chain Due Diligence and Sustainability in the Garment Sector” on February 13th, 2023 at 12 PM – 1 PM (EST).
Webinar: Is Human Trafficking Hidden in Your Facilities Management Supply Chain
Save the date for Complimentary Webinar “Is Human Trafficking Hidden in Your Facilities Management Supply Chain?” on January 31st, 2023 at 10 AM – 11 AM (EST).