Business icons fight trafficking

Iconic names in global business, including travel, have joined together to form the Global Business Coalition Against Human Trafficking (gBCAT). It brings together global corporations that recognise that business can play a role to end human trafficking and all forms of modern day slavery. According to the International Labor Organisation, there are nearly 21 million slaves in the world today. After working for over a year together and independently, gBCAT formally announced, Tuesday, its mission to mobilise resources to fight human trafficking, most notably child prostitution. Founding members include: ManpowerGroup, NXP, ExxonMobil, The Coca-Cola Company, Carlson, Delta Air Lines, LexisNexis, Microsoft, and Travelport. The group will place a strong focus on fighting sex trafficking, with a particular emphasis on the commercial sexual exploitation of children, most notably in the travel and tourism industry. Global businesses that demonstrate a similar commitment are invited to join gBCAT. gBCAT objectives include being a forum to develop and share best practices for addressing the vulnerability of businesses to human trafficking in their operations. It will offer training modules for employees, general awareness-raising among consumers, suppliers and partners, best-practice sharing with other companies and assistance for other companies that wish to engage in this issue. “Fully engaging the corporate community is a critical step in the war to end modern day slavery. Human trafficking is a global problem which can only be eradicated by mobilising global solutions. Corporations need to take action, get involved and become part of the solution.” –Manpower Group president, global corporate and government affairs David Arkless. He is also the co-chair of gBCAT. From ttrweekly