What do ink and toner cartridges have to do with Chinese forced human labor and child sex trafficking?
Published on
August 2, 2023 at 3:00:00 PM PDT August 2, 2023 at 3:00:00 PM PDTnd, August 2, 2023 at 3:00:00 PM PDT
As global front-runners - we, American businesses - bear a profound responsibility - no, a duty - to sever ties with nations that endorse forced labor practices, because let's face it....countries, entities, and persons engaging in forced labor practices are also intimately linked to the abhorrent crimes of human trafficking and child exploitation. Our economic prowess should never be wielded as a tool to bolster regimes that perpetuate such gross violations of human rights. Instead, our influence should be channeled towards promoting safe and equitable working conditions worldwide, underscoring our commitment to universal human dignity and freedom.
While many enterprise level companies have committed to ethical sourcing practices and have developed effective transparency protocols in within their global supply chain....collectively we should be doing more. Businesses with nonexistent or immature social compliance policies need to adopt strict regulation of labor conditions, auditing procedures, and commitments from suppliers to comply with international standards.
If you're not sure where to start, collaborating with other corporations and business associations in order to ensure that all possible measures are taken to eradicate exploitation within the industry is a good first step. There are even organizations that help corporations get started on their ESG, DE&I and social compliance journey.
We must remember that it is our responsibility to engage in ethical business practices and hold ourselves, as well-informed global citizens, accountable for the state of modern labor conditions. By establishing an ethical stance on #corporatesocialresponsibility within our industry, we can protect laborers from exploitation and set a new standard for businesses around the world. #NoMoreForcedLabor
The Importance of Social Compliance in our Global Supply Chain
In the context of global commerce, social compliance holds paramount importance, particularly in supply chain management. This pertains to meeting set standards for fair and humane treatment of labor within the supply chain, including appropriate compensation, humane working hours, and safe working conditions. Non-compliance, apart from being a gross violation of human rights, can tarnish a corporation’s reputation, resulting in loss of customer trust and market share. Conversely, businesses that prioritize social compliance are likely to experience increased customer loyalty and enhanced brand image. Thus, dedication to social compliance within the supply chain is not just a moral imperative, but also a strategic business decision that can secure long-term success. If you're capable of doing more......why aren't you?
By now, most people around the world has heard - or even watched already in theaters - the movie "Sound of Freedom". It's based on a "true story of depicts the remarkable journey of Tim Ballard, a former Homeland Security agent, as he battles against human trafficking. His relentless pursuit of justice exposes the dark underbelly of this global crime, leaving an indelible impact on the fight for freedom."
Reputation vs. Integrity.
These horrific practices aren't new...they've been around for thousands of years but as technology and the speed of information improved, more and more of it is coming to light. You may recall the 2014 documentary "The High Cost of Low Prices", which shined a light on the then-shady business practices of Walmart, and how in the 80s and 90s they were one of the leading drivers of US manufacturing of goods being moved out of the USA and over to China....where these atrocious forced labor practices thrived....all to make a buck.
One of the most important character traits we as humans can possess, is moral integrity. Integrity is what you do when no one is watching. It’s doing the right thing all the time, even when it may work to your disadvantage. Integrity is keeping your word. It’s an internal compass, a rudder that directs you where you know you should go when everything around you is pulling you in a different direction.
The same can be applied to business practices. Whatever you are not changing....you are choosing....and lack of awareness is no longer an excuse. Some people think reputation is the same as integrity, but they are two different things. Your reputation is the public perception of your integrity. This is why companies usually develop ESG, DE&I and Supplier Diversity policies as they realize their perceived reputation is directly linked profits. For some of these companies however, these policies are just a sound byte....something that makes their consumers, investors and internal stakeholders "feel good" but no real lasting change occurs. Others determine your reputation, but only you determine your integrity.
No More. We have HAD IT.
The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act was enacted on December 23, 2021, to strengthen the existing prohibition against the importation of goods made wholly or in part with forced labor into the United States and to end the systematic use of forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Among its mandates, the UFLPA charged the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force, chaired by DHS, to develop a strategy for supporting the enforcement of Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. § 1307) to prevent the importation into the United States of goods mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part with forced labor in the People’s Republic of China.
FLETF is a DHS-led Task Force of inter-agency partners that are dedicated to monitoring the enforcement of the prohibition on importing goods made wholly or in part with forced labor into the United States. Forced labor includes the use of forced, convict, and indentured labor, including forced or indentured child labor. You can understand more about forced labor and customs authorities that prohibit goods made with forced labor in U.S. supply chains by visiting CBP.gov.
In June 2022, the UFLPA published a list of entities in Xinjiang that mine, produce, or manufacture wholly or in part any goods, wares, articles and merchandise with forced labor, called the UFLPA Entity List. On June 12th, 2023, almost one year later and after detaining and denying entry of more than $1.3B worth of products at the US Border, that list was updated to include two more company entities and eight subsidiaries to the ULFPA Entity List...one of whom is a major manufacturer of illegally cloned Chinese compatible printer cartridge supplies....that company, is called Ninestar.
Quality Imaging Solutions. Your solution for ethically-sourced, high quality sustainable remanufactured printer cartridge supplies and hardware.
At Quality Imaging Solutions, we deeply value and invest in our strategic partnerships, knowing the myriad of benefits such collaboration can yield. We are committed to fostering relationships that drive not only our success but that of our business partners and our customers as well. Our cooperative efforts extend beyond mere transactions, focusing on shared goals, mutual growth, and long-term value creation driving integrity over reputation.
We can all do our part to eradicate forced labor and child exploitation from the supply chain. Together, we have the power to create a world where any form of human trafficking is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Let's use our collective conscience to stand up for what is right and become champions of ethical business practices worldwide.
This is why we need to look at our own direct and indirect goods we are sourcing - from the seemingly more impactful, more talked-about categories - to the more overlooked categories within tail spend, like your printer cartridge purchases. As it is even within these seemingly "less important" spend categories that you can have a substantial impact on the quality of life of another human being.
It starts with you. What are you doing to ensure no forced labor or child exploitation takes place in your supply chain? How can you be part of the solution and create a better future for everyone? Let's start today, as whatever you are not changing....you are choosing....and lack of awareness is no longer an excuse.
To find out more about how we operate and the unique advantages we can offer, we encourage you to reach out and explore the many possibilities. Please feel free to contact us today, and let's unlock the potential of strategic partnerships together!