OSCE Special Representative calls for private sector to ensure supply chains free from exploitation

BRUSSELS, 19 October 2010 - Ensuring that supply chains are free from all forms of exploitation is an important element of companies' social engagement and contribute to fighting human trafficking, said the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, in a keynote address at the EU Anti-trafficking day in Brussels today.

Giammarinaro spoke at a two-day conference organized by Belgian Presidency of the European Union to mark the EU Anti-Trafficking Day. The conference focuses on multidisciplinary approach in prevention of trafficking in human beings, prosecution of traffickers and protection of victims.

Giammarinaro stressed the adverse effect that globalization, the push for profits, competition and the need to cut production costs, including labour costs, have on the situation with human trafficking in the OSCE region.

"Increased demand for cheap labour worldwide makes some economic sectors prone to the systematic use of trafficking for labour exploitation - something traffickers take advantage of," Giammarinaro said. "This results in the placement of workers - in the OSCE area, mainly migrant workers - in exploitative, indeed slavery-like conditions, by organized criminal groups."

"Addressing demand for goods and services produced and provided by trafficked persons has increasingly gained visibility and become part of some companies' corporate social responsibility agenda. A number of companies have put into place initiatives to ensure that their supply chains are free from labour exploitation, forced labour, bonded labour and child labour, and this is an important contribution to international fight against trafficking in human beings."

In industries where self-regulation has not been undertaken, the third sector and trade unions should step in to place pressure on governments and producers, and raise awareness amongst the general public of the exploitation, she added.

Giammarinaro also stressed the important role of the private sector in providing training and employment opportunities to ensure social inclusion of trafficked persons and marginalized groups at risk of human trafficking, especially women, girls, and ethnic minority representatives.