Embrace sustainable, circular economy to end demand for forced labour

Embracing a circular economy is a lucrative opportunity to design out waste and pollution, keep materials in use and regenerate natural systems. If done correctly, it can combat forced labour by professionalising a mostly informal workforce

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A harvester moves through a cotton field in Dolatbag in northwest China’s Xinjiang region. Most of China’s cotton crop is grown in Xinjiang, where firms that supply global brands are accused of using Uygur forced labour. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 10:00pm, 13 Jan 2021Updated: 12:17am, 14 Jan 2021

Before the violent attacks at the US Capitol this week, President Donald Trump had issued an executive order on the last day of 2020 declaring January 2021 National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month in the United States.

The Trump administration has repeatedly exploited the issue of modern slavery for political gain without enacting comprehensive policies supporting victims. However, combating modern slavery remains one of the few issues maintaining support across party lines in America and globally.

In recent months, governments around the world have pledged stronger measures towards combating modern slavery, in particular forced labour. The jury is out on the depth of their commitment to solving the problem, though. To tackle forced labour in 2021, policies must consider the causes of wasteful overproduction cycles that contribute to trapping people in exploitative circumstances.

Embracing a circular economy approach is a multi-trillion-dollar opportunity to design out waste and pollution, keep materials in use and regenerate natural systems. If done correctly, a circular economy can combat forced labour through professionalising a largely informal workforce – a valuable step towards eradicating modern slavery once and for all.

Modern slavery – loosely defined as the severe exploitation of individuals for personal or commercial gain – affects an estimated 40 million people annually. Two-thirds of them are victims of forced labour along Asia’s web of corporate global supply chains. Forced labour occurs when people work against their will or under threat of penalty.

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