Forced labor risks push global supply chains into compliance crosshairs
By 
Adrianne Appel2025-06-03T14:35:00
An increasing number of regulations worldwide regarding human rights due diligence, especially concerning forced labor and child labor, are relevant for any company that is serious about running an ethical business supply chain, experts say.
About 27.6 million people around the globe are ensnared by modern slavery, which refers to people being forced to work and losing their freedom due to imprisonment, threats of violence, debt bondage, or retention of their identity papers, according to the United Nations’ International Labor Organization.
Today, businesses must have a holistic plan to manage the very real risk of forced labor in their supply chains, said Andrew McBride, founder and CEO of Integrity Bridge, a risk and compliance consultancy, during a panel in March at Compliance Week’s Ethics and Compliance Summit.
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