The association between exploitative recruitment practices and forced labor and trafficking is now well established, and ensuring responsible recruitment in global supply chains has become a key imperative for business and government. Recruitment is a key indicator in the US TIP Report and, increasingly, companies’ modern slavery reporting. It also features in investor-focused benchmarking initiatives such as the Corporate Human Rights Benchmark and KnowTheChain.

On January 24, 2020, a select group of investors and representatives from leading multi-national corporations gathered to discuss how the management of recruitment practices in global supply chains is an increasing priority for business and a key to eliminating forced labor and reducing reputational and operational risk.

The event was graciously hosted by Clifford Chance and co-organized by the Investor Alliance for Human RIghts, the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB), the Leadership Group for Responsible Recruitment, and ICCR.

Participants learned:

• How flawed recruitment practices, and particularly the payment of recruitment fees by migrant workers to secure employment abroad, can be core components of debt-bondage, forced labor, and trafficking;

• How responsible recruitment is increasingly featured in government reporting requirements and public procurement contracts;

• How improving and professionalising recruitment practices will deliver tangible benefits to workers, companies, and economic development; and

• How the use of investor leverage, in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, toward responsible recruitment of workers can shift the needle towards reducing exploitation in supply chains.

The event was attended by asset owners and managers, investment analysts, stakeholder engagement managers, faith investors, government procurement specialists, and ESG consultants.

View the video here.

View the full agenda here and download the speakers’ slides here