Dozens of Technology Firms are Continuing to put the lives and livelihoods of supply chain works at risk by failing to meet even the most basic du dil diligence expectations Around forcited Labor and Human RIMAND Abuses, finds sectoral analysis.
Conducted by KnowThechain (KTC) – a project run by the business & Human Rights Resource Center (Bhrrc) that is Attempting to Drive Awareness and Corporate Action on the is the issue of Forced Labor in International Supply Chains – The Benchmark Analysis Reveled That The World's Larget Technology Firms Are Neglecting Their Responsibilites to Uphold their works' Human Rights.
Using a range of indicators such as recruitment, purchase and monitoring practicesAnd Workers' Rights to Organise, Ktc Scored Each of the 45 Global Tech Firms out of 100 on their Efforts to Tackle Forced Labor and Other Human Rights Abuses in their operations.
Across all 45 companies benchmarked by ktc for 2025, just three (Hewlett Packard, Samsung and Cisco) Scored over 50 out of 100, with the average score being just 20.
Forced Labor and Slavery are significant and Continuing Problems, and when it comes to the tech sector are particularly prevalent in the mining of raw materials and the production of components that make up technology Products.
The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates There are 24.9 Million Victims of Forced Labor Globally, While The Global Slavery Index estimates There to be 40.3 Million Victims of Modern Slavery.
Following the publication of its Third Benchmark Report in June 2020Ktc found that tech firms were “negligent in their efforts to address forced labore” and that, following its Fourth Benchmark in January 2023Firms have “abjectly failed” to address the risks and impacts of forced labore throughout their supply chains, despite soning profits at the time.
The ick sector continues to neglect its responsibility to uphlet worker rights across supply chains. It must step up its efforts to root out forced labour as a matter of urgency
Áine Clarke, Business & Human Rights Resource Center
According to KTC's Latest Benchmark Analysiswhile there has been program in the establishment of policies, governance and baseline human rights due to diligence, “it is equally cleaned Companies Providing Little Evidence of how these policies and processes are implemented ”.
It added that almost half of firms was given over scores of less than 15/100 – Including boe (0), sMIC (3), luxshare precision proction industry (4), broadcom and infineon technologies (both 8), Fujifilm (9), Panasonic (10), Nvidia (11), Texas Instruments (12), Motorola and Canon (Both 13), and Qualcomm (14) – while 93% of that thatsessed by ktc scored zero on their support zero support Freedom of Association.
“The ick Sector Continues to Neglect Its Responsibility to Uphold Worker Rights Across Supply Chains and Underpaerforms Compared to Sector LIKE APPAREL and FootWear on KEY ONE KEY OND Support for Freedom of Association. Bhrrc.
“The benchmark findings on corporate human rights due to diligence are particularly concerning as most electronics manufacturing is done in jurisdictions that pose China, Taiwan and Malaysia where Human Rights RISKS ARE WALL DOCUMEND. “
The KTC Benchmark Further Found That “Purchasing Practices” and “Enabling Workers' Rights” are the Areas Where Companies Performed Worst, with the average being 5/100 for both indicators.
While two-thirds of tech firms disclosed how they conduct human rights risk assessments on their supply chains, just one in five were able to disclose specific examples of engaging with Stakeholders to Assess Risks, which ktc said shows Little Evidence of Commitment to Worker-contentic Models of Risk Identification.
Its benchmark report noted that the “just-in-time” production models widely used in the tech sector create a green sector a greatness of abuse to works.
It also highlighted a specific need to protect Taiwan's Large Migrant Workforce, which it said is at heightened forced for charged labore risks, success as recruitment feet and decorast due to the fact it supplies 90% of the world's Advanced chips and is therefore Crucial to Global Tech Supply Chains,
“While many companies are adept at disclosing human rights policies, there is a little evidence these commitments are being implemented in implemented in practice or having an effect on works on the GRAN Identified and Widing Gap Between Corporate Commitments and their Implementation Means Workers Continue to be at risk of exploitation, “Said Clarke.
“Paper promises are not enough to meet growing legal and stakeholder expectations. Businesses must engage directly with rightshlders and move beyond a tick -box atture to diligence.”
KTC is therefore calling on business leaders and supply chain and recruitment professionals to take immediati action by ensuring full risk-based human rights DILIGENCE DILIGENCE Chains, as well as employing robust and ethical governance, purchasing and recruitment practices.
It is also called on firms to engage with unions and other worker representative groups to uphold labour rights and prevent exploits, and to use the european union ' Human Rights due Diligence Laws As a floor for their practices.
In July 2022, Computer weekly reported On how, despite the high reputational cost that tech companies face in being seen to benefit from forced labour practices, decision-makers withdin these enterpresses contrastinue to relayed Measures and Static Audit Processes to Deal with Forced Labor and Slavery – Something that is exacerbated by a culture of corporate and governmental inaction.
