Ethical Partners has made a submission this week to the Australian Parliament on the Customs Amendment (Banning Goods Produced by Uyghur Forced Labour) Bill 2020.
Modern Slavery and Forced Labour is an area of deep engagement and critical analysis for Ethical Partners, and is something we discuss with all of our portfolio companies. Evidence clearly shows the abhorrent and human rights violating situation involving the Uyghur people, to which Australian investors and corporates are markedly exposed through the import of products and their supply chains. We furthermore believe that investors have a very important role in advocating for action on these issues, both in order to better mitigate forced labour risks in their portfolios and to create positive impact.
Pleasingly, in a nod to our extensive investment and engagement process, we note that the two fashion companies that have adequately addressed the risks of Uyghur labour in their inaugural Modern Slavery Statements are Kathmandu – a long standing holding of the Ethical Partners Australian Share Fund and Woolworths – a company with whom we have had long term engagement and dialogue.
Please see attached our Submission.
