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3 Things to Know in 60 Seconds
Ethixbase360 brings you ESG and supply chain news that’s making waves around the globe. This week’s roundup zeroes in on the acceleration of modern slavery discoveries and crackdowns on abhorrent labor conditions.
1. Sexual Abuse on Kenyan Tea Farms Revealed: Dogged and dangerous undercover reporting at Kenyan tea farms owned by popular British brands including Lipton. Despite promises from the company to take action on sexual harassment, more than 70 women reported sexual abuse perpetrated by supervisors—highlighting the need for stronger internal whistleblowing protections and vetting of intermediaries.
2. U.S. Company Fined for Hiring Kids: After an in-depth investigation spanning multiple states, the U.S. Department of Labor fined a major food safety and sanitation company $1.5 million for employing more than 100 teenagers in prohibited, dangerous jobs where they worked with heavy machinery and highly toxic cleaning chemicals. The company, Packers Sanitation Services, provided labor to companies including JBL and Tyson Foods, spotlighting the role of third-parties in governance and compliance.
3. Child Labor Uncovered at Hyundai-Kia: Reuters has won an award for uncovering child labor in at least four Alabama parts supplier locations for Hyundai-Kia. This deeply disturbing revelation shows in part the unethical and illegal lengths intermediaries sometimes go to in efforts to reduce supply chain interruptions due to the ramifications of COVID-19. Worse, there is still ongoing investigation into whether some of the children have been victims of human trafficking.
Although difficult to read, these stories make it clear that there’s more need than ever for strong mitigations against modern slavery risks—and Ethixbase360 is here to provide guidance on how.
