Twelve ways to get rid of slavery in the supply chain
The guardian collected the advice and opinions of academics and executives in a piece published this week detailing what should be done to tackle slavery in the supply chain.
Some key points made in the article include acknowledging the failings of traditional audit methods and introducing more incentives to punish those companies which are caught using forced labor.
Supply chain mapping was also cited as being important to identifying modern day slavery, in particular when dealing with and using third party companies who do not always guarantee an ethical or transparent supply chain.
To see all twelve suggestions offered, click here.
LEGO pledges to reduce Climate impact
In a newly made partnership, and with help from WWF, the toy manufacturer LEGO, has agreed to introduce new measures to reduce its carbon footprint.
The vast majority of LEGO’s carbon emissions are produced from its supply chain, and in an effort to reduce, more will be done to assist suppliers.
Other strategies that will be tested and then possibly implemented will include using a smaller amount of materials and using renewable or recyclable products in the production process.
LEGO has set itself the target to reduce it energy expenditure in its production by 10% by 2016.
To read more, click here.
GM Holden leaving Australia
In further troubling news concerning Australia’s automotive industry, GM Holden has announced that in 2017, it will be discontinuing production in Australia. 2,900 workers will be left unemployed.
Dan Akerson, GM Holden’s chairman, gave several reasons why GM Holden had decided to pull out of Australia, most crucially what he labeled a “perfect storm of negative influences the automotive industry faces in the country.” The strength of the Australian dollar, expensive manufacturing costs and a competitive market were also given as reasons.
There will be further repercussions as a result of Holden’s decision to leave. There are currently 28,000 people employed in supplying car parts for manufacturing; they will also face uncertainty in the future.
Mitsubishi left Australia in 2008 and Ford will cease production by 2016; only Toyota remains in Australia. Should the Australian automotive industry disappear entirely, the economy will be $21.5 billion smaller.
To read more, click here.