Editorial: Shifting the Focus: From Corporate-led to Worker-centred Mechanisms for Eliminating Forced Labour in Global Value Chains

Abstract

This Editorial introduces a special issue of Anti-Trafficking Review, which examines measures to ensure corporate accountability for forced labour in value chains. It begins by explaining why multinational corporations are able to escape liability for business practices that foster labour exploitation in their value chains. It discusses the failure of voluntary attempts to hold lead firms in value chains accountable before examining two types of corporate-led mechanisms that harden voluntary corporate social responsibility techniques (transparency and human rights due diligence laws). It contrasts them with worker-driven mechanisms. After describing the contribution of each article in the Special Issue, it concludes by identifying some of the key challenges to eliminating forced labour and labour exploitation in global value chains.