The Electronic Industry Against Forced Labour

By Rob Lederer

The Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition is a non-profit coalition of more than 110 leading companies to improve social, environmental and ethical conditions in the global electronic supply chain.  

In 2004, eight forward-thinking electronics companies wanted to better protect the rights and well-being of workers and communities impacted by the electronics supply chain. They founded the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC). Today the EICC comprises more than 110 companies with combined annual revenue exceeding US$4.75 trillion, millions of workers and thousands of suppliers manufacturing in more than 120 countries: a sizable industry footprint.

Eliminating the conditions that contribute to forced labour has been one of the EICC’s highest priorities since it was founded. There is virtually no difference between the positions of civil society and those of member companies in the EICC on forced labour. All agree that the exploitation of workers through force, fraud, debt bondage or other forms of coercion is an affront to human rights and no company wants it in their supply chain.

EICC members commit and are held accountable to a common code of conduct, which explicitly bans trafficked and forced labour. In 2014, EICC members ratified an updated version of the code, which now prohibits the holding of passports and other key identity documents as well as unreasonable restrictions on the movement of workers. Additionally, it requires that workers are provided with a written employment agreement in their native language prior to departing from their country of origin.

Realizing that recruitment fees were becoming an increasingly problematic issue contributing to the risk of forced and bonded labour situations, the EICC membership overwhelmingly approved additional changes to the code of conduct in a special, out-of-cycle membership vote that concluded in March 2015. Those additional changes, banning recruitment fees paid by workers, went into effect on 1 January 2016.

The EICC has developed an end-to-end framework of tools and programmes for responsible labour practices. These include pre-departure orientation for workers in their sending country, labour agent training and certification, and a special audit programme geared to identifying forced labour in the workplace. This supplements the Validated Audit Process (VAP), one of the fundamental programmes the EICC provides to its members. A self-assessment questionnaire helps companies to identify the risk of forced labour in factories and among labour agents, and a worker grievance mechanism assists workers throughout hiring and employment processes. When issues related to forced labour are found, the EICC works with members on corrective action plans.

Partnerships

As many of the factors that can lead to forced labour are common across industries, the EICC has been working through partnerships to expand the reach of its tools to other sectors facing these challenges. At the EICC Multi-Industry Forum on Combating Forced Labour in Global Supply Chains last spring in Malaysia, representatives from the construction, agriculture, apparel, retail and services sectors explored ways to improve conditions for workers – especially foreign migrant workers. In the near future, the EICC plans to launch the Responsible Labour Sourcing Initiative, which will help companies in and outside of the electronics industry to benefit from EICC tools and programmes for combating forced labour in their supply chains.

Sustained collaboration

Eradicating forced labour in the global supply chain is a complex issue that requires sustained collaboration among companies, governments, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders. The EICC and its members will continue to identify and raise awareness of trends and best practices, act as a convener of diverse groups facing similar challenges and provide solutions based on internationally recognized standards, working with governments, civil society and other stakeholders to make a difference. Together we can have a greater, more positive impact than any one company or organization could alone.

Rob Lederer is the Executive Director of the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition.

Read more:

Visit the website of the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition: www.eiccoalition.org

See the EICC Code of Conduct: www.eiccoalition.org/standards/code-of-conduct