Sedex Guidance on Operational Practice and Indicators of Forced Labour

The Sedex Guidance on Operational Practice and Indicators of Forced Labour provides guidance on how to spot the signs of actual, likely or possible cases of forced labour for both auditors and audit readers. It proposes a list of indicators, based on operational practice, which either independently or in various combinations, can increase the risk of forced labour through a worker’s employment cycle.

The guide also proposes that protecting possible victims and capturing and documenting evidence should be paramount to any key steps to be taken by auditors when forced labour is suspected or found. The guide can be used as a general reference tool by auditing bodies, ethical sourcing initiatives and brands to help their understanding of forced labour risks and to enhance their existing audit protocols.

Social auditors and audit readers can use this guide to collect and communicate data points that will, over time hopefully, facilitate greater comparability and broader reporting of risks across audits associated with this critical issue. Business can also use the guide to better understand the operational practices that increase workers’ vulnerability to forced labour and where the risk of
forced labour is more likely.

Sedex guide to human rights risk assessment in supply chains. October 2020.

This covers the practical steps to take – starting with mapping supply chains, identifying risks within countries, sectors and at site level, and finally determining the significance of those risks in order to focus resources on the most important.

Significance for seafood businesses:

Not seafood-specific. There are a number of organisations that offer practical business support to help manage socially responsible business practices. There are also various tools and guidance notes available which are free to use which will help buyers manage their supply chain and make a more informed judgement on the risks they face when sourcing seafood.

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