UPS, Delta, and Walmart shared their anti-trafficking efforts at the relaunch of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Task Force to Eradicate Human Trafficking on Thursday.
The three firms explained that they are working within their supply chains to eliminate forced labor and human trafficking, training their employees to spot the crime.
Delta, for one, formed an anti-trafficking steering committee in 2016, which has provided guidance for thousands of Delta employees to be trained on how to spot and report suspected cases of human trafficking.
UPS says it has also trained its drivers as truck stops are often hotspots for human trafficking. “Our drivers are everywhere,” said Nicole Clifton, the VP of Global Public Affairs for UPS.
Supply Chain Dive reports:
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce held the event to relaunch its Task Force to Eradicate Human Trafficking and has released a document to help guide businesses through the process of identifying trafficking.
The task force originally began in 2017 but has been dormant for about a year, according to Michael Billet, the senior manager for policy research at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “We’re looking to revamp the task force with more companies from more industries and make it a little more member centric,” said Billet.
The guidance released by the Chamber was produced along with A21, a global non-profit that works to end human trafficking and forced labor. The document is meant to be used by companies that want to have a plan in place when they encounter human trafficking. Some of the advice inside includes how using advanced technology can help track a supply chain, making a public responsibility statement and auditing suppliers to ensure they live up to these goals.
Ryan Burns, manager of federal government affairs at Walmart, said that, “We have clarified expectations for our suppliers for responsible recruitment, for eliminating forced labor and human trafficking in their businesses and providing safer working conditions.”
In addition, Burns explained that Walmart suppliers now have access to a training portal on the new standards, but did not say if Walmart had changed any suppliers since implementing the new guidelines.
Freedom United is interested in hearing from our community and welcomes relevant, informed comments, advice, and insights that advance the conversation around our campaigns and advocacy. We value inclusivity and respect within our community. To be approved, your comments should be civil.