The Centre for Child Rights and Business

Our Child Rights Action Hub team conducted a one-day workshop as part of #MYVoice's initiative to address, prevent and remedy child labour in the #palmoil supply chain in Malaysia. The workshop with Wilmar International and our implementing partner, Proforest, included modules on immediate actions to take when suspected child labour is encountered, remediation programmes, and the importance of fostering a safe and supportive work environment. This helped participants gain practical knowledge to manage and address these operational risks effectively. More about the Child Rights Action Hub here: https://lnkd.in/gPCmypKj #ChildLabourPrevention #SustainablePractices #MYVoice #EthicalSupplyChain #bizhumanrights #humanrights #childrights #ActionHub

Check out the latest episode of our CRIB podcast featuring Sabita Banerji, CEO and Founder of THIRST. In this episode, we discuss the challenges of poverty among tea workers in the global tea industry. Sabita sheds light on the reasons behind this issue and the role of THIRST in raising awareness. This episode also explores how consumers can play a role in creating change. Sabita argues that it’s not just about paying more for tea but about understanding its true value—both in terms of quality and ethics. The conversation also covers creative solutions to achieving #livingwage for tea workers, #genderequity and what the future of the tea industry could look like. Listen to the episode here: https://lnkd.in/gC37Rrqq #bizhumanrights #humanrights #srilanka #tea #CRIBpodcast #TeaIndustry #ChildRights #THIRST

In celebration of Children’s Day in #SriLanka on October 1, The Centre is excited to announce Round 4 of the 2024 Seal Challenge— an initiative that awards funding and/or technical expertise to a business in Sri Lanka's tea industry that successfully demonstrates a workable vision to create positive impact through on-the-ground action. This round will focus on Child Rights and Business Principles. Interested participants can submit their concept note under the following sub-categories: 1. Addressing risk factors that lead to #childlabour 2. Enabling children of workers to access quality #education 3. Facilitating access to decent work for young persons (16 - 18 years old) 4. Addressing risk factors to decent work for caregivers (e.g., forced labour, debt bondage, sexual harassment and exploitation, etc.) 5. Supporting child-led initiatives on addressing a specific area of child rights 6. Voice and participation of workers and/or youth in decision-making The challenge is open to all tea estates, factories, and smallholders operating in Sri Lanka. Please submit your concept notes before October 10. For more information, please visit https://lnkd.in/gJnr3E-P #bizhumanrights #humanrights #childrights #tea #childrensday

It's not every day that you get over 40 labor inspectors from a single state in the same room! This week, I had the incredible opportunity to deliver a training session in Sabah to labour inspectors on identifying #forcedlabour risks through worker interviews during labour inspections and to facilitate a planning session on the Department of Labour's anti-trafficking strategies in Sabah. With amendments to the Sabah Labour Ordinance expected to pass through Parliament soon, Sabah's Department of Labour must be ready to enforce new provisions aimed at protecting vulnerable and young workers from #forcedlabour and #childlabour. This training is a step in this direction, but there's still much work to be done. Huge thanks to the Proforest and The Centre for Child Rights and Business teams (part of the MyVoice project) for the partnership.

🌟 New Programme Launch in the Tourism Sector! 🌟 The Centre is proud to unveil the Mother and Child-Friendly Seal for Responsible Business in the tourism sector in #SriLanka, launching in Colombo on Sep. 27 just in time for World Tourism Day! Our recent assessment with Save the Children in Sri Lanka identified significant #childrights challenges in the tourism supply chain: children often face disrupted education and are at risk of exploitation, abuse, and child labour. These issues are driven by gaps in regulations for guesthouses and homestays, a lack of child safeguarding protocols, and limited opportunities for young workers to secure decent jobs. We’re stepping up to change this. Through this new Seal initiative, we’re working with local accommodation providers, global tour operators, CSOs, and government agencies to build a safer, more supportive environment for children and families. And it's not just about new rules and policies; giving people a voice and encouraging their participation in shaping actions are key elements of this initiative. Like our successful work in the tea industry, this Seal will push tourism businesses to improve their impact on women and children, guided by transparent, rights-based criteria and ongoing commitments to do better. This isn’t just about ticking boxes for compliance—it’s about making a real difference where it matters most. Learn more about how the initiative embeds impact-focused human rights due diligence into the tourism supply chain: bit.ly/3Bk1RuT #bizhumanrights #childrights #childlabour #HRDD #SriLanka #tourism #SealforTourism #worldtourismday

Our team is at the UNDP B+HR Forum this week, where Ines Kaempfer moderated a session on innovative tools to remedy child labour and sexual exploitation with speakers Archana Kotecha, Marco Dubbelt, Dr.Srida Tantaatipanit and Riri Siti O. Malikah, in partnership with Social Accountability International and the MY Voice Project. Our Director of Services for Asia, Riri Siti O. Malikah also spoke at a session on children’s rights and business accountability, organised by UNICEF. The discussions so far have included some urgent calls for action - and more than a few tough challenges to address. Grievance mechanisms need to reach everyone (yes, even in the lower tiers), and real follow-up in the form of quality, on-the-ground remediation is crucial. Here are a few takeaways from the sessions we’ve attended so far: ❗ Human rights due diligence is often undermined by a lack of local capacity to trace and address violations such as child labour. Businesses must build stronger local systems and collaborate across the supply chain to make remedy mechanisms both accessible and effective. ❗ Remediation offered by businesses often falls short of addressing the root causes of child labour and when not done correctly, may even subject the child to further harm. Effective solutions require collaboration between businesses, CSOs and states, with a focus on long-term, context-aware remedies. ❗ The cost of remediation is often excluded from purchase price negotiations. There is a need to factor in fair pricing that supports equitable contracting and prevents the burden from being passed down the supply chain. ❗ Companies need to budget for follow-up actions after risk assessments. Addressing child labour is no quick fix—it’s a long-term commitment that needs ongoing financial investment. ❗ Stakeholder engagement, including children’s input, is critical in risk identification and designing grievance mechanisms. Understanding what children want and need is key to creating effective solutions. ❗ There’s no quick or easy fix when it comes to access to remedy. It requires sustained effort. Right now, we don’t have enough practical, child-focused solutions that keep kids out of work for good. Community-led, bottom-up approaches offer a more holistic path forward, supporting not only children but also adults, while creating a system that can sustain and have impact. There's a lot to think about, but one thing’s clear: business as usual won’t cut it anymore. #HRDD #CSDDD #humanrights #bizhumanrights #RBHRF #childrights #accesstoremedy #childlabour

Come say hello to us at our joint booth at UNDP B+HR from September 24-27, where we will be joined by Social Accountability International, The Remedy Project, ECPAT International, Global March Against Child Labour, Thai Hotline Foundation, and Down to Zero Alliance. We're looking forward to meeting you! And please do consider joining the sessions on Sep 24 and Sep with Riri S. O. Malikah, who'll be sharing valuable insights on child labour risks, effective access to remedy, and scalable, bottom-up approaches to tackle child labour over the long-term.

There is still time to sign up for the webinar today by The Centre and the Fair Cobalt Alliance (FCA)! Hear from experts and learn how companies can meaningfully fulfil human rights due diligence in the copper-cobalt supply chain by prioritising children’s best interests. Find out more and register: bit.ly/4cQGvT0  #bizhumanrights #childlabour #childrights #mining #humanrights #duediligence #webinar #ASM #cobalt #DRC #greentransition

🎙 NEW PODCAST EPISODE! In Episode 5 of the CRIB Child Rights in Business Podcast, Ines Kaempfer sat down with Tom Franks, Chair of the ETP (Ethical Tea Partnership) to discuss how we can achieve living wages for tea workers, gender equality, responsible sourcing and how ETP is aligning its practices with new human rights due diligence regulations. Make sure to tune in for an informative and meaningful conversation! 🔊 FIND US ON MAJOR STREAMING PLATFORMS: Youtube: https://lnkd.in/gz-bXz2U Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gUntFB2f Audible: https://lnkd.in/gVaazXEr Amazon Music: https://lnkd.in/gjHh-pdC #ethicaltea #CRIBpodcast #childrights #fairwages #humanrights #HRDD #tea

In July, The Centre facilitated three dynamic capacity-building workshops in Vietnam, training 35 trade union reps from 15 provinces as part of the Work: No Child’s Business initiative. Together with UNICEF and the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL), we empowered these leaders to protect young workers and prevent child labour by promoting responsible business practices. From creative awareness campaigns to practical skills, participants were equipped to make a lasting impact across industries. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/gqwYtekR Lam Nguyen THI HAI YEN PHAM #humanrightsduediligence #childlabour #endchildlabour #vietnam #capacitybuilding #tradeunions