GRI 409 Forced or compulsory labour

Forced or compulsory labor exists globally in a variety of forms. The most extreme examples are slave labor and bonded labor, but debts can also be used as a means of maintaining workers in a state of forced labor. Indicators of forced labor can also include withholding identity papers, requiring compulsory deposits, and compelling workers, under threat of firing, to work extra hours to which they have not previously agreed.

Eliminating forced labor remains an important challenge. Forced labor is not only a serious violation of a fundamental human right, it also perpetuates poverty and is a hindrance to economic and human development.5

The presence and effective implementation of policies for eliminating all forms of forced or compulsory labor are a basic expectation of socially responsible conduct. Organizations with multinational operations are required by law in some countries to provide information on their efforts to eradicate forced labor in their supply chains.