Tackling Modern Slavery in India through Innovation, Collaboration and Best Practice

Workshop organised by Thomson Reuters Foundation, C&A Foundation, and Copenhagen Business School.

Monday, May 13, 2019 - 13:30 to 17:00

Venue: Copenhagen Business School, Room 1Ø.052, Dalgas Have 15, 2000 Frederiksberg

Registration: Register here or by contacting Saira Latif Mian, slm.msc@cbs.dk, by 10 May 2019.

Picture source: Institutional Partner Manager: Thomson Reuters foundation. Bond.org.uk

Thomson Reuters Foundation, C&A Foundation, and Copenhagen Business School invite you to attend a session on:
‘Tackling Modern Slavery in India through innovation, collaboration and best practice’.

Background
The Global Slavery Index 2018 estimates that there are nearly 8 million people living in conditions of modern slavery in India. This figure, and the very definition of modern slavery, is disputed by the government of India. However, global fashion brands are increasingly called upon to deal with modern slavery in their supply chains while Indian companies that want to work with international business are required to make declarations about their supply chains in compliance with the UK Modern Slavery Act, 2015. What is modern slavery in India? What are the legal and business risks for international brands and Indian companies and what are their obligations?

Linkage with Sustainable Fashion Summit 2019 theme
During this session, we will discuss the legal and business context in India focusing on issues of supply chain, forced labor and anti-trafficking. The speakers will highlight the innovative approaches they have taken to tackle these issues with a specific focus on supply chains. The discussion will be followed by a brainstorming session on synergies and collaborations on the work to be done during 2019.

About the session

Objectives:

Raise awareness of modern slavery amongst brand, NGO and other stakeholders
Learn about the legal framework that exists and contextualized, innovative approaches to dealing with modern slavery
Plan an action for creating an Indo-European Forum on modern slavery

Output:

Identify synergies for organizations to work on issues of modern slavery in India
Explore one project or research program that will be tracked till the next Copenhagen Fashion Summit

Structure:

The session will consist of an introduction by the Copenhagen Business School. It will then be followed by presentations on the work of the Thomson Reuters Foundation and C&A Foundation on their work on preventing modern slavery. Three organizations will share innovative approaches that participants could learn and implement in their own work. This will be followed by a moderated discussion with participants to identify the way forward on the work on modern slavery issues in India from a brand and a government perspective.

Programme outline

Welcome and introduction to workshop theme.

Peter Lund-Thomsen, Professor, Copenhagen Business School

(10 Minutes)

Discussion on Modern Slavery from an Indian legal, human rights, and business perspective.

Trishna Mohan Kripalani, Legal Programme Manager for South Asia, TrustLaw, Thomson Reuters Foundation

Anindit Roy Chowdhury, Programme Manager, Gender Justice and Human Rights C&A Foundation

(20 minutes)
Q&A (15 minutes)

Session Break and Networking

(10 minutes)

Three organizations will share innovative approaches that participants could learn and implement in their own work. (For example collaborative approaches and learnings from there).

This will be moderated by the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Olga Martens, Head of government Relations, International Justice Mission

Rishi Sher Singh, Independent Expert

Madhurima Singh, Creative Director and Founder, DHURI

(45 minutes)

Q&A (15 minutes)

Session Break and Networking

(10 minutes)

Discussion on the way forward: Examples of brands and governments can do

Peter McAllister, Executive Director, UK Ethical Trading Initiative

Prama Bhardwaj, CEO and Founder, Mantis World

(45 minutes)