KnowTheChain is a partnership between Humanity United, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, Verité, and Sustainalytics. We are pleased to announce Felicitas Weber as the new Project Director of KnowTheChain. Felicitas Weber and her team at the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre have led the research, analysis and engagement for the KnowTheChain benchmark since 2016. Kilian Moote, a Director at Humanity United, will continue as a senior advisor on the project.
The devastating impacts of COVID-19 are a powerful reminder of how critical it is that companies implement stronger policies and processes to protect workers in global supply chains from exploitative conditions. KnowTheChain benchmarks have long shown the successes and shortcomings of corporate efforts to address forced labor. We are committed to continuing to provide detailed analysis and information as a resource to companies and investors so they can better understand and respond to forced labor risks.
On June 9, 2020 KnowTheChain will launch the 2020/21 Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector Benchmark. A methodology based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights was used to assess 49 of the largest ICT companies (representing a total of $5.5 trillion in combined market capitalization) on their disclosed policies and processes to address forced labor in their supply chains. As in previous benchmarks of the ICT sector in 2016 and 2018, worker voice and recruitment, the areas that most directly impact workers’ lives, are in urgent need of improvement.
Alongside the full ICT benchmark findings report, KnowTheChain will publish an Investor Brief based on the ICT findings. Later this summer we will publish a brief report on Responsible Recruitment in the ICT sector.
KnowTheChain plans to launch its next Food and Beverage sector Benchmark in October 2020 and the Apparel and Footwear sector benchmark in spring 2021.