Anti-Trafficking Organizations Join ATEST to Call for SB 657 Enforcement
Today, the Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking and 11 other organizations submitted a letter calling on the California Attorney General to enforce the California Supply Chain Transparency Act (SB 657).
In September 2010, California legislators passed this law, requiring retail sellers and manufacturers doing business in California, and having $100 million or more in global revenue, to publicly disclose their efforts to eradicate human trafficking and slavery within their supply chains. The law went into effect in January 2012. Since its enactment, numerous jurisdictions both domestically and abroad are now considering similar measures.
Nearly 400 companies have now posted some kind of disclosure statement. Unfortunately, a full two years after the law went into effect, more than 100 companies, including many household and brand names, have yet to comply. They have neither posted a public statement nor responded to multiple requests from transparency platforms like KnowTheChain and the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre.
Our letter specifically calls on the Attorney General to fulfill her responsibilities under the Act and initiate enforcement proceedings against those companies who remain non-compliant.
Tackling slavery in supply chains is critical if we are to end slavery in our lifetime. SB 657 represents a unique opportunity to achieve this goal, but we need the Attorney General to act.
