DOL Releases Toolkit to Help Businesses Eliminate Child Labor in Supply Chains

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) has introduced a toolkit to help businesses combat child labor and forced labor in their global supply chains.

The free, easy-to-use toolkit was unveiled during an event at DOL headquarters for representatives of government, industry, labor and civil society organizations that are at the forefront of efforts to prevent labor abuses in the production of goods.

The toolkit highlights the need for a social compliance program that integrates a company’s policies and practices to ensure that the company addresses child labor and forced labor throughout its supply chain. It provides practical, step-by-step guidance on eight critical elements that will be helpful for companies that do not have a social compliance system in place or those needing to strengthen existing systems. An integrated social compliance system includes: engaging stakeholders and partners, assessing risks and impacts, developing a code of conduct, communicating and training across the supply chain, monitoring compliance, remediating violations, independent review and reporting performance.

ILAB created the toolkit as part of its responsibility under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005.

Access the toolkit

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