MESSAGE FROM THE CEO Dear Colleagues, We began 2021 with hope that the global health pandemic would finally wane, and everyone could return to their normal lives and workplaces during the year. In case that did not happen, however, we prepared to continue operating as we had in 2020. Those preparations turned out to be prudent and necessary and resulted in a very successful year for the RBA despite the ongoing challenges associated with the pandemic. Travel restrictions, lockdowns, increased risks to workers, and the added precautions required to function around the world could not prevent the RBA from making tremendous progress in 2021. The RBA managed more third-party audits than ever before, while further enhancing the quality of its Validated Assessment Program and developing new risk assessment tools for members and their suppliers. We expanded our worker voice platform, added dozens of new analytical capabilities to our sustainability data management system, and launched regional networks in Europe, Southeast Asia, China, and Mexico to better serve our members. We continued to engage numerous governmental, intergovernmental, and non-governmental organizations worldwide to help workers and promote the vision and mission of the RBA. Outreach included engagement with multiple UN agencies, the European Commission, EU policymakers, the OECD, ILO, and government agencies in Germany, Malaysia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mexico, the UK, the U.S. and others.
The RBA’s Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) added five new assessment standards to its portfolio, including for the first time a dedicated standard for ESG requirements for mineral and metal processors. Meanwhile, the RBA’s Responsible Labor Initiative (RLI) completed and implemented its Standard for the Investigation and Repayment of Fees and, to date, the RLI and its members have facilitated the repayment of recruitment fees to workers in excess of US$61M. Many supply chain workers and the nonprofits that support them were struggling in 2021, so the RBA launched its Project Uplift Worker-Relief Fund to help non-governmental and civil society organizations that bring relief or aid to workers in key geographical areas. The RBA has a long history of partnering with NGO and CSO organizations in support of workers and approved six projects for funding through Project Uplift. Our efforts in 2021 required substantial resources and the RBA was fortunate to have a record year in terms of membership growth, with 41 new members joining, bringing our total core membership to 200 companies, not counting the additional 300 companies that are initiative-only members. We are enormously grateful to our members for their unwavering support, which enabled us to accomplish the many achievements highlighted in the pages that follow.
Sincerely,
ROB LEDERER CEO, Responsible Business Alliance
1 RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS ALLIANCE 2021 ANNUAL REPORT
Reflective of the growing influence of the RBA in the environmental space was our participation at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland. The RBA took part in a number of activities including the Tech for Climate Action event hosted in partnership with the UK government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA UK) and COP26 E-Alliance and Partners. The multiday event included an exhibition, an environmental conference, a CEO panel, and the COP26 Compass Award ceremony.
