UNDERSTANDING THE RISKS OF FORCED LABOURIN SUPPLY CHAIN
30th of September 2025
WWW.RHSANSFRONTIERES.ORG
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Ressources Humaines Sans Frontières
Prevent the risks of child labour, forced labour and, more generally, indecent labour in global supply chains, in France and worldwide
Our approach prefers questioning to judgement, dialogue to interventionism, support to substitution.
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Our Objective
Share a Common Framework for Understanding Forced Labour Risks
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
01
Understand Forced Labour
Understanding the definition, the characteristics, and magnitude of forced labour
02
Understand Migration Context
Understanding the recruitment chain and identifying critical risk indicators throughout supply networks.
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
FORCED LABOUR
RHSF
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Gargalo Vasco – Portugal – ILO / RHSF
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Pre-training quiz
Start
QUESTION 1/4
QUESTION 2/4
QUESTION 3/4
QUESTION 4/4
Let's start the session
What is forced labour?
"(...) any work or service exacted from a person under the threat of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily".
ILO Convention No. 29 concerning Forced Labour (1930)
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Four elements of the definition
Work or service
Individual
The threat of any penalty
Lack of consent
Refers to any type of working relationship, informal or formal, for the production of goods or the provision of services for the use of others or oneself. This applies regardless of the activity, industry or sector, including within the informal economy.
Refers to any person, regardless of age, gender, nationality, legal status, etc.
Refers to a wide range of constraints used to force someone to work: legal sanctions, reprisals, violence. The penalty may be only at the threat stage and may apply to both workers and their family members.
The expression ‘not offered himself voluntarily’ reminds us that a worker must consent to an employment relationship in a free and informed manner and that he or she is free to leave their job at any time. This is not the case, for example, when an employer or recruiter makes false promises to get the worker to take a job that they would not otherwise have accepted.
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Identifying Forced Labour Risk
Four key indicator categories help organizations recognize and address forced labour risks in their operations and supply chains.
Isolation
Lack of Consent
Refers to the absence of a clear expression of willingness to enter into any form of employment contract. It also refers to whether the worker fully understands the implications of the commitment, whether they have the necessary linguistic and educational resources to understand all the terms, and whether they have access to comprehensive information about recruitment, working conditions and living conditions.
Refers to the deliberate separation of individuals from their community, family and society in general, or from any person or group that could provide them with help, assistance or support. This isolation can be physical, social, linguistic or cultural.
Restriction of Movement
Constraint
Refers to any act—whether coercion, threat, manipulation, or other means—used to compel someone to act against their will, openly or subtly, beyond legal obligations and company rules.
Refers to control exercised by employers or recruiters, or both, or even local authorities, to restrict or prevent an individual's freedom of movement in and outside the workplace, as well as their ability to change or leave their job if they wish.
*Based on 11 ILO indicators grouped by RHSF into 4 comprehensive families
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Signs of Forced Labour
There is often a confusion when looking at forced labour: the difference between signs and indicators of forced labour.
Symptoms are manifestations that may suggest forced labour but do not constitute definitive proof. According to the International Labour Organisation, forced labour exists when these two elements are interrelated.
Involuntariness
Lack of free and informed consent to enter or remain in work
Coercion
Use of force, fraud, or threats to compel labour or services
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Examining Excessive Overtime
Not Always Indicative
Excessive overtime hours alone do not automatically signal forced labour. The critical factor lies in understanding the circumstances and constraints surrounding the worker's decision.
Worker Choice
Does the worker have genuine freedom to refuse overtime without facing penalties or threats?
Underlying Reasons
What circumstances compel the worker to accept excessive hours? Economic necessity or coercive pressure?
Key Assessment Point: The presence of choice and the absence of coercive measures distinguish voluntary overtime from potential forced labour.
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
QUESTION 1/5
QUESTION 2/5
QUESTION 3/5
QUESTION 4/5
QUESTION 5/5
Global Estimates of Forced Labour
27.6M
+2.7M
3.5
People in forced labour
Additional victims
Per 1,000 inhabitants
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
The Victims and Their Vulnerability
Migrant Workers at Greatest Risk
3× Higher Risk
Adult migrant workers are three times more likely to be in forced labour compared to non-migrants, highlighting systemic vulnerabilities in migration systems.
Migrant workers face disproportionate vulnerability to forced labour exploitation. Their precarious legal status, language barriers, and dependence on employers create perfect conditions for abuse.
Where Exploitation Occurs
The vast majority of forced labour occurs within private sector operations. The most affected sectors include manufacturing industries, construction, agriculture, and domestic work—areas often characterised by informal employment relationships and limited oversight.
86%
Private Economy
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Global Distribution of Forced Labour
More than half of all forced labour occurs in either upper-middle income or high-income countries
Continue
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Distribution by Income Level
47%
35%
Upper-middle income
Lower-middle income
13.1 million people in countries with growing economies
9.8 million people in developing nations
11%
7%
High income
Low income
3.1 million people even in wealthy countries
1.9 million people in the poorest nations
Source: Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage, ILO, Walk Free and IOM, 2022.
FORCED LABOUR... THE MANIFESTATION OF COMPLEX SYSTEMS
Creating a supply of people vulnerable
Developing a demand of people vulnerable
Poverty
Outsourcing
- Lack of available decent and stable job opportunities in their home country
- Household farmers / fishers not earning enough and increased by climate change
- Low level of social protection for the whole family in their home country
- Limited access to other aspects of the multidimensional poverty: education, food security, etc.
- Several layers of outsourcing in Taiwan making it harder to control the supply chain and the
practices of all companies
- Long and opaque chain of recruitment involving recruitment agencies and intermediaries
Concentrated corporate power and ownership
Identity and discrimination
- Migrant workers are perceived as a threat to national security in Taiwan
- Large international and national companies hold power to impose conditions within their
supply chain
Irresponsible sourcing practices
Limited labour protection
- Commercial pressures from brands and clients (national and international) on prices and delays of production especially at high peak seasons
- External shocks or rising costs—such as increases in minimum wages—can lead to a price-cost squeeze, particularly impacting labour expenses.
- Gap between legislation and international standards
- Low level of unionisation and practical barriers to form and lead a union for migrants' workers
Restrictive mobility regimes
Governance gaps
- Migrants' workers' visa are tied to their employer
- Very restrictive legal capacity to change employers
- Lack of resources for labour inspections and low level of prosecution and penalty
- Lack of cooperation between Taiwan and origin countries authorities
- Reliance on certification and social auditing that are not effective to tackle forced labour
This analysis is based on the root causes framework developed by Genevieve LeBaron, Neil Howard, Cameron Thibos and Penelope Kyritsis LeBaron, G., Howard, N., Thibos, C., Kyritsis, P. (2018) Confronting root causes: forced labour in global supply chains. Sheffield, UK: Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute, University of Sheffield & openDemocracy https://cdn-prod.opendemocracy.net/media/documents/Confronting_Root_Causes_Forced_Labour_In_Global_Supply_Chains.pdf
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
STAKEHOLDER ECOSYSTEM
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
COUNTRY OF WORK
GOVERNMENT
GOVERNMENT
GOVERNMENT
CLIENT COMPANY
RECRUITMENT AGENCY
DORM., ETC.
SUPPLIER COMPANY
RECRUITMENT AGENCY
WORKERS
CSO
CSO
Direct stakeholders : directly involved in the relationship between the worker and his work (worker, employer, agency, intermediary, service provider ( training centre, medical centre, etc.), local unions, assistance association, etc.). Indirect stakeholders : with influence over direct stakeholders (i.e. client companies, legislators, etc.) Forced labour is the systemic result of a combination of events and situations in which multiple players interact: governments, communities, families, companies – clients and suppliers, recruitment agencies.
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
236
US$ billion in illegal profits per year
Or nearly US$3.700 per victim per year of labour exploitation
These illegal financial gains represent the difference between what employers actually pay workers and what they would pay them in the absence of forced labour under normal circumstances
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Profits by economic sector
Industry
Services
35.4 US$ billion - US$4,944 per victim
20.9 US$ billion - US$3,407 per victim
Agriculture
Domestic work
5 US$ billion - US$2,113 per victim
2.6 US$ billion - US$1,570 per victim
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
An extremely lucrative business model...
- ‘The National Assembly shall determine the amount of compensation to be granted to the settlers.’ Decree relating to the abolition of slavery in the French colonies and possessions of 27 April 1848
- The compensation paid to slave owners amounted to 126 million gold francs (1.3% of national income).
Examples of payments to settlers – Source: CNRS
Continue
18,000 € corresponds to 500 gold francs (annual salary of a servant around 1850).
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
LABOUR MIGRATION
Trayko Popov (Bulgarie) – RHSF
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
What does labour migation mean to you?
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Context – migrants’ situation
Internal 763 million
International 284 million
Migrant workers 167million
DECENT WORK
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
BETTER LIVELIHOODS
Continue
Source: : International Labour Office, ILO Global
Estimates on International Migrant Workers: International Migrants in the Labour Force, Fourth edition, Geneva: International Labour
Office, 2024. © ILO
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
The recruitment chain in question
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Journey of a migrant worker
@ILO
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Wrap-up
- Forced labour is a combination of involuntariness and coercion
- 4 indicators to characterize a risk of forced labour: lack of consent, constraint, isolation and lack of freedom of movement
- Forced labour is in every country and every sector
- Forced labour is a lucrative business model
- Forced labour is a complex issue within a complex ecosystem
- Migrant workers face higher risks due to complex chain of recruitment from their village of origin
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Questions - Comments
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
THANK YOU Any question: aziz.ahammout@rhsansfrontieres.org
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
UNDERSTANDING THE RISKS OF FORCED LABOURIN SU PPL Y CHAIN
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Transcript
UNDERSTANDING THE RISKS OF FORCED LABOURIN SUPPLY CHAIN
30th of September 2025
WWW.RHSANSFRONTIERES.ORG
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Ressources Humaines Sans Frontières
Prevent the risks of child labour, forced labour and, more generally, indecent labour in global supply chains, in France and worldwide
Our approach prefers questioning to judgement, dialogue to interventionism, support to substitution.
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Our Objective
Share a Common Framework for Understanding Forced Labour Risks
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
01
Understand Forced Labour
Understanding the definition, the characteristics, and magnitude of forced labour
02
Understand Migration Context
Understanding the recruitment chain and identifying critical risk indicators throughout supply networks.
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
FORCED LABOUR
RHSF
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Gargalo Vasco – Portugal – ILO / RHSF
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Pre-training quiz
Start
QUESTION 1/4
QUESTION 2/4
QUESTION 3/4
QUESTION 4/4
Let's start the session
What is forced labour?
"(...) any work or service exacted from a person under the threat of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily".
ILO Convention No. 29 concerning Forced Labour (1930)
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Four elements of the definition
Work or service
Individual
The threat of any penalty
Lack of consent
Refers to any type of working relationship, informal or formal, for the production of goods or the provision of services for the use of others or oneself. This applies regardless of the activity, industry or sector, including within the informal economy.
Refers to any person, regardless of age, gender, nationality, legal status, etc.
Refers to a wide range of constraints used to force someone to work: legal sanctions, reprisals, violence. The penalty may be only at the threat stage and may apply to both workers and their family members.
The expression ‘not offered himself voluntarily’ reminds us that a worker must consent to an employment relationship in a free and informed manner and that he or she is free to leave their job at any time. This is not the case, for example, when an employer or recruiter makes false promises to get the worker to take a job that they would not otherwise have accepted.
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Identifying Forced Labour Risk
Four key indicator categories help organizations recognize and address forced labour risks in their operations and supply chains.
Isolation
Lack of Consent
Refers to the absence of a clear expression of willingness to enter into any form of employment contract. It also refers to whether the worker fully understands the implications of the commitment, whether they have the necessary linguistic and educational resources to understand all the terms, and whether they have access to comprehensive information about recruitment, working conditions and living conditions.
Refers to the deliberate separation of individuals from their community, family and society in general, or from any person or group that could provide them with help, assistance or support. This isolation can be physical, social, linguistic or cultural.
Restriction of Movement
Constraint
Refers to any act—whether coercion, threat, manipulation, or other means—used to compel someone to act against their will, openly or subtly, beyond legal obligations and company rules.
Refers to control exercised by employers or recruiters, or both, or even local authorities, to restrict or prevent an individual's freedom of movement in and outside the workplace, as well as their ability to change or leave their job if they wish.
*Based on 11 ILO indicators grouped by RHSF into 4 comprehensive families
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Signs of Forced Labour
There is often a confusion when looking at forced labour: the difference between signs and indicators of forced labour.
Symptoms are manifestations that may suggest forced labour but do not constitute definitive proof. According to the International Labour Organisation, forced labour exists when these two elements are interrelated.
Involuntariness
Lack of free and informed consent to enter or remain in work
Coercion
Use of force, fraud, or threats to compel labour or services
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Examining Excessive Overtime
Not Always Indicative
Excessive overtime hours alone do not automatically signal forced labour. The critical factor lies in understanding the circumstances and constraints surrounding the worker's decision.
Worker Choice
Does the worker have genuine freedom to refuse overtime without facing penalties or threats?
Underlying Reasons
What circumstances compel the worker to accept excessive hours? Economic necessity or coercive pressure?
Key Assessment Point: The presence of choice and the absence of coercive measures distinguish voluntary overtime from potential forced labour.
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
QUESTION 1/5
QUESTION 2/5
QUESTION 3/5
QUESTION 4/5
QUESTION 5/5
Global Estimates of Forced Labour
27.6M
+2.7M
3.5
People in forced labour
Additional victims
Per 1,000 inhabitants
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
The Victims and Their Vulnerability
Migrant Workers at Greatest Risk
3× Higher Risk
Adult migrant workers are three times more likely to be in forced labour compared to non-migrants, highlighting systemic vulnerabilities in migration systems.
Migrant workers face disproportionate vulnerability to forced labour exploitation. Their precarious legal status, language barriers, and dependence on employers create perfect conditions for abuse.
Where Exploitation Occurs
The vast majority of forced labour occurs within private sector operations. The most affected sectors include manufacturing industries, construction, agriculture, and domestic work—areas often characterised by informal employment relationships and limited oversight.
86%
Private Economy
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Global Distribution of Forced Labour
More than half of all forced labour occurs in either upper-middle income or high-income countries
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Distribution by Income Level
47%
35%
Upper-middle income
Lower-middle income
13.1 million people in countries with growing economies
9.8 million people in developing nations
11%
7%
High income
Low income
3.1 million people even in wealthy countries
1.9 million people in the poorest nations
Source: Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage, ILO, Walk Free and IOM, 2022.
FORCED LABOUR... THE MANIFESTATION OF COMPLEX SYSTEMS
Creating a supply of people vulnerable
Developing a demand of people vulnerable
Poverty
Outsourcing
- Several layers of outsourcing in Taiwan making it harder to control the supply chain and the
practices of all companiesConcentrated corporate power and ownership
Identity and discrimination
- Large international and national companies hold power to impose conditions within their
supply chainIrresponsible sourcing practices
Limited labour protection
Restrictive mobility regimes
Governance gaps
This analysis is based on the root causes framework developed by Genevieve LeBaron, Neil Howard, Cameron Thibos and Penelope Kyritsis LeBaron, G., Howard, N., Thibos, C., Kyritsis, P. (2018) Confronting root causes: forced labour in global supply chains. Sheffield, UK: Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute, University of Sheffield & openDemocracy https://cdn-prod.opendemocracy.net/media/documents/Confronting_Root_Causes_Forced_Labour_In_Global_Supply_Chains.pdf
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
STAKEHOLDER ECOSYSTEM
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
COUNTRY OF WORK
GOVERNMENT
GOVERNMENT
GOVERNMENT
CLIENT COMPANY
RECRUITMENT AGENCY
DORM., ETC.
SUPPLIER COMPANY
RECRUITMENT AGENCY
WORKERS
CSO
CSO
Direct stakeholders : directly involved in the relationship between the worker and his work (worker, employer, agency, intermediary, service provider ( training centre, medical centre, etc.), local unions, assistance association, etc.). Indirect stakeholders : with influence over direct stakeholders (i.e. client companies, legislators, etc.) Forced labour is the systemic result of a combination of events and situations in which multiple players interact: governments, communities, families, companies – clients and suppliers, recruitment agencies.
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
236
US$ billion in illegal profits per year
Or nearly US$3.700 per victim per year of labour exploitation
These illegal financial gains represent the difference between what employers actually pay workers and what they would pay them in the absence of forced labour under normal circumstances
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Profits by economic sector
Industry
Services
35.4 US$ billion - US$4,944 per victim
20.9 US$ billion - US$3,407 per victim
Agriculture
Domestic work
5 US$ billion - US$2,113 per victim
2.6 US$ billion - US$1,570 per victim
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
An extremely lucrative business model...
Examples of payments to settlers – Source: CNRS
Continue
18,000 € corresponds to 500 gold francs (annual salary of a servant around 1850).
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
LABOUR MIGRATION
Trayko Popov (Bulgarie) – RHSF
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
What does labour migation mean to you?
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Context – migrants’ situation
Internal 763 million
International 284 million
Migrant workers 167million
DECENT WORK
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
BETTER LIVELIHOODS
Continue
Source: : International Labour Office, ILO Global Estimates on International Migrant Workers: International Migrants in the Labour Force, Fourth edition, Geneva: International Labour Office, 2024. © ILO
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
The recruitment chain in question
Continue
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Journey of a migrant worker
@ILO
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Wrap-up
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
Questions - Comments
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF
THANK YOU Any question: aziz.ahammout@rhsansfrontieres.org
Restricted use - no copying, extracting or use without the consent of RHSF