Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) Tells Axios that he will introduce legislation this week requiring companies with overseas businesses to certify that their supply chains are free from forced labor, and he is especially concerned about China.
The state of play: “If these reports from anti-trafficking advocates, anti-slavery advocates are wrong, then companies will have an opportunity to set the record straight,” Hawley said in an interview. “But they will be responsible.”
- Hawley also plans to challenge celebrities who endorse the products: “I hope that anyone who benefits from that wants to pressure companies to certify that they are not profiting from slave labor.”
Hawley said Multinational corporations “change our jobs overseas, or move their supply chains abroad, then sell them to American consumers and get celebrities to sell them on television.”
- “Just because you’re publicly donating money to this or that nonprofit doesn’t mean it’s okay to take advantage of slave labor,” added the senator.
Details: The bill requires each corporation with global annual gross income of $ 500 million or more to audit its supply chain to investigate the presence or use of forced labor, by the company or its direct and secondary suppliers.
- Companies will submit a report to the Department of Labor each year, signed by the CEO, which describes efforts to eradicate forced labor from their supply chains.
- Hawley wants the report to be published on the company’s website, with a link visible on the home page.
From Hawley’s plan: “The [Labor secretary] may assess civil damages of not more than $ 100 million to any corporation that fails to comply with the act, plus punitive damages of not more than $ 500 million. “
- “[T]The secretary may request the Attorney General to institute a court order, restraining order, or other appropriate order in the district court for any corporation whose violations of the act constitute a danger to its workers. “
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