8th December: Modern Slavery, Human Trafficking and Human Rights Risks in the Global Supply Chain

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The BHRE, the London Universities Purchasing Consortium (LUPC) and Electronics Watch are organising the third Greenwich Symposium on responsible public procurement. This year we will be focusing on Modern Slavery, Human Trafficking and Human Rights Risks in the Global Supply Chain.

The event will feature three round tables on: Labour Rights Organisations; Policy, Regulation and Advocacy and Public Buyers. Confirmed speakers include members of the labour rights organisations: Labour Education and Service Network (Hong Kong); Economic Rights Institute (Hong Kong); Civil Initiatives for Development and Peace (India) and the Multicultural Centre of Prague (Czech Republic). We will also be joined by the international NGOs Electronics Watch and Anti-Slavery International; Unicef; the UK Gangmasters Licencing Authority; the OSCE; the International Learning Lab on Procurement and Human Rights and a highly committed group of public buyers including Transport for London, LUPC, Advanced Universities Procurement Consortium, London Borough of Harrow, One Housing and Stockholm County Council. Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey, OBE, will deliver the keynote speech.

New Cleaning and Security Agreements Help Prevent Human Trafficking

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LUPC’s brand new, innovative framework agreements for cleaning and security services are specially designed to help prevent human trafficking in these high-risk spend categories.  LUPC is launching both agreements at a free event for Members at the Museum of London on 31 October (0930).

Many of our Members will doubtless be finalising their Slavery and Human Trafficking Statements for publication, as required under Part 6 of the Modern Slavery Act.  These agreements will enable Members to state that, owing to LUPC’s supplier due diligence processes coupled with an in-built supplier management programme, mitigating actions are taken to help manage the risk of human trafficking in these sensitive markets.

All our security services suppliers are committed to responsible provision in accordance with the rule of law and with respect to human rights of all people, while our cleaning contractors have all committed to the ETI Base Code.

Both new framework agreements require that suppliers must work with LUPC to identify and mitigate the risk of potential modern slavery, human trafficking, forced and bonded labour and labour rights violations in its supply chain.  Each supplier must produce a Modern Slavery in the Supply Chain Due Diligence Report identifying the main risks of modern slavery, human trafficking, forced and bonded labour and labour rights violations in its supply chain, highlighting the main areas, countries and suppliers at risk and the steps to be taken to mitigate such risks at short, medium and long term within 90 days of the commencement date.

Suppliers must update the Report annually for the duration of the contract.  More regular updates are to be provided when risks of modern slavery, human trafficking, forced and bonded labour and labour rights violations in its supply chain are assessed as imminent either by the contractor or LUPC.  Suppliers have also agreed to jointly draft a Modern Slavery Action Plan and must nominate a person to liaise with LUPC in its drafting and implementation.

 

This news was first published on andydavieslupc.wordpress.com

Written Evidence Submissions to the UK Parliament Joint Select Committee on Human Rights Inquiry on Human Rights and Business

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The UK Parliament Joint Committee on Human Rights Harriet Harman MP is undertaking an inquiry into human rights and business to considers progress by the UK Government in implementing the United Nations Guiding Principles on business and human rights, by means of the National Action Plan published in 2013 and revised in May 2016
(http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/joint-select/human-rights-committee/news-parliament-2015/human-rights-business-launch-16-17/).

The BHRE hasparticipated in two written evidence submissions by: London Universities Purchasing Consortiumand the International Learning Lab on Procurement and Human Rights. The BHRE encourages the UKgovernment to continue its world-leading commitment to the protection, respect and promotion of human rights in the context of business activities and particularly adopt measures to extend human rights obligations of public authorities in the context of public procurement.

The written submissions are available here: