Felix PapierandChristopher Tang

Opinion | Qatar World Cup scandal: how firms can banish forced labour ‘blind spots’ in their supply chain

The onus is on companies to exercise better due diligence, focusing on high-risk areas, avoiding shady recruiters, improving supply chain visibility and using tech to monitor and authenticate

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Labourers remove scaffolding at the Al Bayt stadium in Al Khor, Qatar on April 29, 2019. Migrant labourers who built Qatar’s World Cup stadiums often worked long hours under harsh conditions and were subjected to discrimination, wage theft and other abuses, a rights group said. Photo: AP

Felix PapierandChristopher Tang

Published: 8:44am, 19 Dec 2022Updated: 9:30am, 19 Dec 2022

The World Cup’s extravagant closing ceremony brought exuberant cheers at Doha’s Lusail Stadium. But some construction companies behind this opulent building in Qatar have been tainted by accusations of forced labour, with the Guardian estimating that more than 6,500 migrant construction workers died in the emirate amid World Cup preparations. To avoid backlash and boycotts, companies must conduct supply chain due diligence to stamp out forced labour.

Forced labour is more pervasive in developing low-income countries because of inconsistent law enforcement. When high-income nations such as Qatar are accused of using forced labour, it comes as a surprise to some. But should it?

Human trafficking is also prevalent in developed economies. The United States is no exception. Last year, US authorities uncovered a human trafficking ring that smuggled forced labour from Mexico and the rest of Central America to work in Georgia farms.

In Hong Kong and Singapore, foreign domestic helpers have complained of being subjected to forced labour despite being documented workers with legal rights such as paid medical insurance and a rest day each week.

To curb forced labour, there were talks in 2018 to propose a law in Hong Kong to require companies to report whether their supply chains are free from slavery, and give enforcement officers wider investigation powers. But the social unrest in 2019 followed by the Covid-19 pandemic have disrupted the progress. As Hong Kong reopens its doors to the world, it is time to resume its commitment to treat all workers in Hong Kong with kindness, empathy and humility.

Regulations should never be a means to an end. But they can motivate firms to act. We suggest four ways for companies to conduct their supply chain due diligence effectively and practically.