A/HRC/30/35
regard to confidentiality and privacy. Consumer and trade union advocacy can play an
important role in ensuring the involvement of workers and their representatives in such
processes. Largely as a result of stakeholder criticism, some companies have already
piloted new protocols that prioritize the confidential testimony of workers and attempted to
develop more robust investigative techniques, sometimes in partnership with civil society. 55
49.
Company-level grievance mechanisms, which range from complaints boxes to
telephone hotlines, are being created to identify human rights violations and other forms of
abuse. Their effectiveness is often dependent on information exchange between business
peers and companies often rely on multi-stakeholder initiatives to develop efficient
systems.
50.
Another strategy in tackling the risk of contemporary forms of slavery in supply
chains relates to transparency and reporting, 56 on the one hand, and traceability, on the
other. In both cases, pressure from regulators, civil society actors and investors has pushed
companies not only to disclose information about business relationships in supply chains,
but to implement measures to track products and materials from finished goods to the
commodities level to promote “clean” production at every step of the way. However,
opinion remains divided on the effectiveness of these initiatives in improving conditions for
workers and, in particular, for addressing contemporary forms of slavery.
51.
Certification has arisen as another key approach from increased consumer, trade
union and other civil society awareness. The most well-known is the Fairtrade Mark, which
can be found on a wide range of products — over 27,000 — and certifies that those
products meet internationally agreed Fairtrade Standards, including those relating to child
labour and labour rights. 57 In another example, the GoodWeave 58 certification label
provides assurance that no child labour was used in the manufacture of rugs.
52.
Given the complexity and span of supply chains, identifying and eradicating
contemporary forms of slavery can be successful only if sustainable and effective multistakeholder partnerships and initiatives involving the authorities, businesses, trade unions,
consumers and other stakeholders, each acting from their own areas of expertise to enforce
mutually agreed goals, are formed. Such initiatives are frequently international in scope,
given the breadth of transnational operations. Some focus on a single sector, industry or
commodity,59 while others are cross-sectoral.60 Others focus on a single issue like child or
forced labour,61 while many typically address a cross-section of labour and human rights
issues alongside the environment and general principles of ethical business. 62
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
For example, Apple, Hewlett Packard, Patagonia, Gap Inc., Coca Cola, the Arcadia Group and Philip
Morris International.
Voluntary commitments to transparency are, for example, required by companies that use the
framework established by the Global Reporting Initiative.
www.fairtrade.net.
www.goodweave.org.
For example, the Fair Wear Foundation or Fair Labour Association, both of which address apparel
only.
Such as Social Accountability International and the Ethical Trading Initiative. The latter developed a
Base Code guiding its members to comply with ILO standards (e.g. fair recruitment, humane working
conditions, decent work and a living wage) as a means of preventing forced labour and other
contemporary forms of slavery (see www.ethicaltrade.org/eti-base-code).
Including the Eliminating Child Labour in Tobacco Growing Foundation and the International Cocoa
Initiative. Both participate in the Child Labour Platform, a thematic membership‐based work stream
of the Human Rights and Labour Working Group of the Global Compact, opened to companies, other
United Nations agencies, trade unions, business associations and other relevant stakeholders, and
focused on child labour, particularly in supply chains.
For example, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil and the Responsible Jewellery Council.
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