From cotton fields to fishing boats, from apparel to electronics, and from hotels to restaurants – men, women, and children are made to work in exploitative conditions for little to no pay, under the threat of force, fraud, or coercion.

Goods produced with forced and trafficked labor often make their way into the global economy and into our lives through complex and opaque supply chains, changing hands many times along the way. Industries that rely on labor recruiters or brokers to supply workers are particularly at risk, since workers often face fraudulent recruitment practices that can leave them in debt and deeply vulnerable to exploitation. At the base of the supply chain, where commodities and raw materials are extracted, low profit margins, lack of labor protections, and lack of product differentiation also foster exploitative working conditions.

At the same time, change is happening. High-profile reports on modern slavery in a range of industries and new federal, state, and international laws and regulations are prompting companies and others to address forced labor in their supply chains in new and innovative ways. Due to the complex nature of supply chains for goods and services, however, it’s often difficult for businesses, workers, NGOs, and governments to understand where forced labor is occurring and how to take action to remedy it.

We believe that forced labor has no place in the goods and services that make up today’s global economy and that we need new ideas, tools, and efforts to address this problem. From connecting with workers to identifying where forced labor is occurring, technology-informed approaches and tools will have a critical role to play. We encourage individuals, organizations, and teams to submit their ideas for using technology to address any aspect of forced labor in global supply chains. We look forward to supporting the best and most innovative ideas to become reality.

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