Media Release07 Aug 2018

Responsible Business Alliance signs agreement to support Bali Process efforts on modern slavery

The RBA signed an agreement in conjunction with The Bali Process to collaborate on anti-slavery efforts.

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Rob Lederer and Andrew Forrest sign the Responsible Business Alliance in Nusa Dua Photo Credit: Caitlin Distefano via Minderoo Foundation.

The Bali Process Government and Business Forum (Bali Process) Secretariat (Walk Free Foundation) and the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today to collaborate on anti-slavery efforts through the Bali Process.

An estimated 40 million people are victims of modern slavery across the world, with nearly 25 million working in situations of forced labor. The Bali Process seeks to address issues of human trafficking, forced labour and modern slavery in the Indo-Pacific and the Walk Free Foundation (WFF) is a global organization with a mission to end modern slavery. The RBA is a nonprofit coalition of leading electronics, retail, auto, telecom and toy companies. Its members are committed to supporting workers and communities worldwide that are affected by the global electronics supply chain.

The WFF and RBA will share subject matter expertise, relevant information, connections and opportunities to collaborate on various projects. These efforts may include, but will not be limited to, cooperation on the development, promotion and implementation of the Bali Process Acknowledge, Act and Advance (AAA) Recommendations; engagement with the RBA’s multi-industry, multi-stakeholder Responsible Labor Initiative (RLI); stakeholder outreach; special projects; and access to RLI tools and services, where appropriate.

“RBA is a leading industry body in ethical business with more than 120 member companies,” said Jenn Morris, CEO, Walk Free Foundation. “We cannot end modern slavery without input and action from business. RBA’s member companies are already taking responsibility for the social and environmental impacts of their supply chains and we look forward to engaging them in the Bali Process Government and Business Forum to make slavery a thing of the past.”

“The RBA is looking forward to working with Walk Free, as the Bali Process Secretariat, governments and business leaders to address human trafficking in global supply chains by putting the Acknowledge, Act and Advance Recommendations into action through our membership and programs. There is a tremendous opportunity here to accelerate change,” said Rob Lederer, Executive Director, Responsible Business Alliance