The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has released the first of five industry-specific guides to help Australian businesses combat modern slavery.
The result of a collaboration between the Commission and KPMG Australia, the Commission said the guide, Property, Construction and Modern Slavery: Practical responses to managing risks to people, was designed to help the construction industry respond effectively to the Modern Slavery Act 2018.
“The guide outlines the key modern slavery risks areas for the property and construction sector and highlights practical examples from Australian companies in the sector in response to modern slavery risks,” the AHRC said.
President of AHTC, Rosalind Croucher said the Act required certain large companies to report annually on their efforts to address risks of modern slavery in their global operations and supply chains.
“The guide is part of a two-year collaboration between the Commission and KPMG which aims to support business to respond meaningfully to the modern slavery risks prevalent in their industry,” Professor Croucher said.
“Effective management of modern slavery risks involves placing ‘risks to people’ at the heart of your response,” she said.
“The guide explores a range of modern slavery risk areas that arise in the property and construction sector including in relation to raw material supply chains and construction labour, as well as other often overlooked risk areas such as building maintenance services and corporate promotional products.”
Professor Croucher said it was important the construction sector recognised key risk areas for modern slavery practices and considered the ways COVID-19 was exacerbating these risks in supply chains overseas and in Australia.
“Taking a rights-based approach to addressing modern slavery will assist your business to meet the increasing expectations of investors, governments, clients, consumers, business peers and civil society around business respect for human rights,” she said.
The Commission’s 33-page Guide can be accessed at this PS News link.
