Call to businesses on modern day slavery
Safety company Arco is urging businesses to ask the suppliers within their supply chain about their ethical assurance measures, in particular about due diligence processes in relation to slavery and human trafficking in their business and supply chains.
Latest figures show that there are more than 45.8 million people in a form of modern slavery across 167 countries today. Slavery continues to exist in the 21st century, perpetuating millions into a life of poverty, vulnerability and alienation.
Arco takes its ethical responsibility seriously and was the first distributor within the industry to become a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI). Arco joined the ETI in 2007, forming part of an alliance of leading companies, trade unions and voluntary organisations that work in partnership to improve the lives of workers around the globe.
Arco continues to work on its ethical strategy, which first started over a decade ago, and was pleased to see amendments to company disclosure requirements under the Modern Slavery Act 2015. This motivated the company to launch its own ‘Start Yours’ campaign. Arco is making a number of recommendations to businesses who buy safety equipment to raise awareness and guide businesses to ensure ethical compliance.
Arco has created a short video raising awareness of modern day slavery, which can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/xwGyhSg3Oh4
