23 April 2022.  Work Better Innovations has undertaken important work in understanding and assessing forced labour with various stakeholders, including those in industry, academia and public authorities.

The International Labour Organization Forced Labour Convention (No. 29) of 1930 defines forced labour as: “all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily” (article 2).

The key words are (1) voluntarily; and (2) menace of any penalty. The menace of any penalty refers to physical violence (or threat of) or factors of coercion understood or experienced by the worker.

Forced labour can take place in any setting of work. It can be in the private economy or work that is exacted by governments and public authorities.

Situations of forced labour and labour exploitation exist on a wide range of labour abuses and can be difficult to understand its full complexity. The ILO provides 11 forced labour indicators, which act like “clues” or “data points” for a forced labour situation.

But not all indicators have to be present for a forced labour situation. Sometimes one is enough. Frequently, several indicators happen at the same time. The eleven forced labour indicators are:

• abuse of vulnerability;
• deception;
• restriction of movement;
• isolation;
• physical and sexual violence;
• intimidation and threats;
• retention of identity documents;
• withholding of wages;
• debt bondage;
• abusive working and living conditions; and
• excessive overtime.

Work Better has strong subject matter expertise in international law and standards. We focus on bringing innovative solutions to existing problems that prevent a transition to a more responsible economy. Talk to us about what we have done to help our clients understand and assess forced labour risks.