Coles is working on tackling forced labour and human trafficking issues in the seafood, fruit and vegetable industries in Thailand. The Justice and International Mission (JIM) unit of the Commission for Mission has been using its local contacts to assist Coles in bringing these practices to an end.
Coles has a strict suppliers Code forbidding the use of forced and child labour in the production of goods. It commissions audits of all its suppliers to ensure compliance with its Code and works with suppliers to correct areas of concern.
Staff from Coles recently visited Bangkok and met with NGO representatives recommended by the JIM unit.
“We have been very pleased that Coles is taking the issue of human trafficking and forced labour in Thailand seriously,” JIM unit director Dr Mark Zirnsak said.
“They are clearly committed to ensure their products are free of such abuses. They are also working with the broader Thai industry bodies to address these problems.”
The International Labour Organisation in Thailand and the Thai Government have launched Good Labour Practice (GLP) Guidelines for processing factories in Thailand and opened a GLP Training programme for factories.
More than 160 factories, including 39 tuna processing factories, have signed up to respect the GLP guidelines and agreed to participate in the training program.
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