Bolstering Efforts to Address Human Trafficking Event Summary
Published
October 02, 2024
The business community plays a constructive role in combating human trafficking through developing awareness and prevention efforts, employing survivors, and developing technology to map supply chains. Strategies and more were discussed at the event Bolstering Efforts to Address Human Trafficking, hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on July 29, 2024.
Key Takeaways
- At the Bolstering Efforts to Address Human Trafficking event, businesses, experts from the private sector, representatives from non-governmental organizations, and federal, state, and local entities spoke about their efforts to eliminate human trafficking.
- Lt. Col. James D. Wiley, USMC Ret., chief operating officer at Counter Forced Labor (CFL) Technologies, gave an overview of how the Global Rizk Assessment Technology™ developed by the firm helps businesses examine forced labor in their supply chains.
- Wiley praised the efforts of aligning business interests with the community. “If you look around, we have an ecosystem that is amazing. We have everyone from the IRS to experts in technology. You put this together and you are unstoppable.”
- The American Hotel and Lodging Association Foundation (AHLA) plays an important role in combating trafficking through the No Room for Trafficking initiative. This initiative is a commitment by the hospitality industry to offer prevention training to hotel employees and empower survivors through its Survivor Fund.
- The nonprofit Engage Together works with Pomerol Partners to provide a community assessment and mapping tool to strengthen insights, strategies, partnerships, and resources to combat human trafficking across Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Wyoming.
- The Nebraska Bankers Association established the industry’s first-ever HALT Human Trafficking Fund and is in the process of awarding grants to community-based organizations to leverage technology and data.
- With respect to the implementation of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. the federal government has identified these high priority sectors for enforcement: apparel, cotton and cotton products, silica-based products, tomatoes and downstream products, polyvinyl chloride, aluminum, and seafood. Since implementation, CBP has reviewed nearly 8,500 shipments of goods and apprehended nearly $3.4 billion in suspected goods produced with Uyghur forced labor.
Who was there?
- Representatives from federal government stakeholders such as U.S. Department of Transportation/ U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Blue Campaign.
- Non-governmental organizations (e.g., A21, AFRJ, United Way Worldwide, Truckers Against Trafficking).
- State and local government officials.
- Small and medium-sized businesses that employ trafficking survivors.
- Hospitality and transportation sectors (e.g., Marriott International).
Bolstering Efforts to Address Human Trafficking Event Summary
About the authors
Michael Billet
Michael Billet, director of policy research for Employment Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, keeps members and internal Chamber policy staff abreast of pending labor, immigration, and health care legislation, as well as federal regulatory and subregulatory activities. He is also responsible for planning the Chamber’s annual workplace and community wellness forum.
