It is a corporate responsibility to address forced and child labour, not mine. Discuss.

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1 It is a corporate responsibility to address forced and child labour, not mine. Discuss. This topic raises questions about who should take responsibility for combating forced and child labour. Should companies that may directly or indirectly sustain the practice and profit from forced and child labour be responsible for eradicating it? Do we as individuals and global citizens bear this responsibility? Preparing your position In preparing for your debate or discussion, consider the following questions: 1. In what ways are companies responsible for the occurrence and continuation of forced and child labour? 2. What can companies do to help combat forced and child labour? 3. Could these actions by companies eradicate the global problem of forced and child labour? 4. How are individuals responsible for the occurrence and continuation of forced and child labour? 5. How could individuals address forced and child labour? 6. Would these actions eradicate forced and child labour globally? 7. Apart from companies and individuals, are there other parties who can play a role in addressing forced and child labour? Consider local communities, governments, who else? 8. Are there other things that could be done to tackle forced and child labour? If so, what are they? The corporate responsibility for ending forced and child labour Companies can directly and indirectly contribute to the occurrence of forced and child labour. Because of this, it could be argued it is a corporate responsibility to address this problem. In recent years, companies have been heavily criticised for their unethical practices and their use of cheap child labour in their supply chains. By keeping overheads low (including labour costs), they are able to make high profits and maximise returns for their shareholders. These practices drive down material and commodity prices. Companies arguably have a responsibility to support the sustainable development of the countries they do business in. This includes the development of the local population. Companies have a responsibility to workers throughout their supply chain. Gaining competitive advantage at the

2 expense of the health and well being of its workers is an unsustainable practice. It is important to have a productive, healthy workforce to sustain long term business growth. To achieve this, companies should make significant efforts to ensure their supply chains are free of forced and child labour. Many companies have now implemented policies detailing their commitment to the ethical conduct within their business activities. Some companies will state their intentions to avoid using child labour in their supply chain, but this does not always translate to taking full and meaningful action to eradicate the practise. The individual s responsibility for ending forced and child labour It can be argued that in a globalised world, individuals have a responsibility to end forced and child labour. Acknowledging we are all global citizens means acknowledging we are all interconnected and responsible for ensuring the sustainability of the planet and its people. Everyday decisions made as an individual can have significant consequences for others. The holidays we take, the products we buy and the businesses and charities we support; all these have flow on consequences. It is also argued that if an individual s actions are contributing to forced and child labour, responsibility should lie with them to address it. If we choose to buy products which were produced using forced and child labour we are indirectly supporting the exploitation of children. There is a common misconception that a problem as big as forced and child labour cannot be addressed by one person. However, one person can do a lot. By taking individual action in their everyday lives, individuals can limit their impact on forced and child labour. For example, it can be said that individuals have the greatest influence over governments and can lobby for legislative reforms changes in policies and practices that will impact on the occurrence of forced and child labour. Individuals can make their voice heard in many different ways. By signing petitions, writing letters to politicians or simply talking to friends and relatives, individuals can effect change in a real and tangible way. By practicing ethical consumerism they can reduce their personal demand for products tainted by forced and child labour and therefore reduce the demand for the practice to continue. Further reading and resources include:

3 Reports and Papers International Labour Organization (ILO), Child labour: en/index.htm ILO, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): UNICEF, Children s rights and business principles: World Vision Australia, Forced and Child Labour - A Corporate Responsibility: _labour_exploitation/forced_and_child_labour_information_for_businesses_for_web.pdf World Vision Australia, Forced and Child Labour is everyone s business: Web One Just World, What Can I Do?: University of South Australia, Corporate Social Responsibility: Stop Child Labour, What you can do as a consumer: Responsible Sourcing Network: News The Economist, The Good Company: Dowser, Opposing child labour with consumer demand, Nina Smith of GoodWeave: The Guardian, How to walk the talk in respecting children s rights: Videos UNICEF, Children s Rights and Business Principles:

4 World Vision s Opinion Individuals, corporations and governments can directly and indirectly contribute to forced and child labour. Therefore, all parties have a responsibility to work together to make sure their actions do not result in the exploitation of children. Consumers can play an important role in addressing forced and child labour. Just as our appetite for cheap goods can sustain the demand for cheap child labour, our product choices can create a demand for ethical products, free from forced or child labour. Australians can insist on knowing whether the products we use each day have been produced using forced or child labour, and put pressure on companies to provide transparent information about how their products are made and their company s practices. By demanding ethical products the public can send a message to corporations that they will not tolerate children being exploited for profit. At World Vision we recognise the positive impact that Australian business can have in contributing to international efforts to combat forced or child labour. We are actively encouraging Australian businesses to enhance their work to protect children and vulnerable people from exploitation within their workplace, supply chain, market place and the wider communities in which they operate and impact upon. World Vision encourages all companies to transparently report on their efforts to mitigate their risk of forced and child labour and to seek third party auditing of these efforts. While it is important to acknowledge the responsibility of corporations and consumers have to address child labour, the role governments can play should not be ignored. Governments have a responsibility to ensure vulnerable children are not exploited within their borders and implement legislative and judicial measures to eradicate exploitative practices. Take Action

5 We can all help end child exploitation by learning more about the issues and taking action on behalf of vulnerable children around the world. 1. Vote with your dollar! Buy ethically certified products and encourage others in your community to do the same. Understand your role as a consumer, as an investor, as a voter or as an influencer. This factsheet shows how you can make a difference. ne_s_business.pdf Use the Ethical Consumer Guide to help you decide which products to buy. Consider the gift that keeps on giving and purchase from World Vision s Gift Catalogue Engage your local businesses The next time you shop, tell the shopkeeper or manufacturer that you want them to ensure your product was produced without the exploitation of child labourers or risk to the men and women who made it. Give them a card. oupons_final_web.pdf Note: This document has been prepared as an aid/prompt to debate preparation and not all opinions in this document are the views of World Vision Australia. Reference to different organisations are not an endorsement.