RESPONSIBLE LABOR INITIATIVE In 2021 trafficked and forced labor garnered additional attention from the international community due to greater risks to migrant workers during the global health pandemic and an evolving geopolitical landscape.
RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS ALLIANCE 2021 ANNUAL REPORT
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The Responsible Labor Initiative (RLI) continued to provide support to its members by adapting and growing its due diligence approach and tools, as well as ensuring continued engagement with a broadening stakeholder community. In addition, RLI membership and partnerships grew and diversified during the year, adding to our ability to affect positive change in this critical area. To help support the RLI’s growth, we also launched a standalone website for the initiative. During 2021, the RLI’s key achievements included: • Measured progress of the initiative’s strategic priorities • Issued standards and guidance to further enable credible investigation and repayment of recruitment fees to workers • Launched membership levels within the RLI to encourage deeper supply chain due diligence and accountability • Advanced responsible employment and recruitment through regional programs
PROGRESS ON STRATEGIC PRIORITIES The RLI and its steering committee adopted a set of strategic imperatives in 2019 to guide the activities and engagement of the initiative. While the external landscape created headwinds to international efforts on this critical issue, the RLI continued to make progress in many areas of this five-year plan as detailed in the following sections.
BY THE END OF 2021, THE RLI AND ITS MEMBERS HAD FACILITATED THE REPAYMENT OF RECRUITMENT FEES TO WORKERS IN EXCESS OF US$61M TO DATE.
