Litigation associate Brittany Lazzaro authored an article for Best Lawyers Business, the Global Issue. The article, "Unlocking the Supply Chain,” discusses how new supply-chain transparency rules, regulations, and/or guidelines are forcing companies to take a hard look at forced labor worldwide.

Brittany explains, "At present, it’s estimated that more than 40 million people are in various forms of slavery and human trafficking worldwide – around 24 million of whom, more than half, have been forced into labor. The nature and complexity of modern supply chains are partly to blame for this. These opaque processes – especially those concerning the creation and transportation of materials and goods from other countries – are breeding grounds for coerced labor. Lack of transparency means an overwhelming number of consumers and businesses today inadvertently promote, sanction, or perpetuate slavery through the purchase of products tainted along the supply chain.”

She continues, "Accordingly, both governmental and nongovernmental agencies have lately shifted their focus to uncover forced labor and create ethical mandates for manufacturers, processors, and retailers in the hope of diminishing – and ultimately eradicating – supply-chain slavery and human trafficking in their entirety.” A trend toward holding domestic companies liable for their part in supply-chain slavery has continued in the courts, and recent case law along with proposed supply-chain transparency legislation "demonstrates the ongoing scrutiny these issues are receiving and the efforts being made to hold companies accountable … Proactive corporations must examine their current practices, procedures, training policies, and diligence regarding their supply chains.”

Read the full article.