A new article published by Laurie Berg, Bassina Farbenblum, and Angela Kintominas in the Anti-Trafficking Review’s Special Issue – Technology, Anti-Trafficking, and Speculative Futures examines the emergence of digital worker reporting tools within the broader political economy of supply chain governance. As multinational businesses face mounting pressure to identify and address risks of exploitation, trafficking and modern slavery in their supply chains, the article presents three sets of concerns that must be addressed by businesses, investors, donors and governments that develop or utilise these worker reporting tools. First, the quality of data gathered may be inadequate to reliably inform decision-making. Second, global brands may gather large quantities of worker data to identify legal, reputational and financial risks without addressing structural causes of exploitation or delivering outcomes for workers. Third, large scale collection of data from workers creates new risks for workers’ wellbeing and safety.
Article: Addressing Exploitation in Supply Chains: Is technology a game changer for worker voice?