As part of the UN Global Compact Network Australia’s Modern Slavery Impact Initiative (MSII), we will be releasing a series of short Bite-sized Learning videos unpacking key modern slavery risk issues and topics for Australian businesses.

In our third episode, Chris Caskey, Human Rights Manager at UNGCNA spoke to Rod Pickette, Policy Advisor at the Maritime Union of Australia, to discuss the nature of maritime shipping in Australia and how worker exploitation such as modern slavery can manifest at sea. This episode also unpacks the key findings in the UNGCNA’s latest guidance publication, Modern Slavery within Maritime Shipping Supply Chains, and highlights how Australian cargo owners can mitigate the risk of being involved in adverse human rights impacts, including modern slavery, within their shipping supply chains.

In 2021, there were an estimated 49.6 million people living in conditions of modern slavery worldwide, with increasing prevalence in the Asia Pacific. As modern slavery remains a key human rights risk for Australian businesses, this video aims to raise awareness and support businesses in Australia in understanding the imperative to identify, manage and mitigate their modern slavery related risks.

The Modern Slavery Impact Initiative (MSII) has been made possible by grant funding from the Australian Government as part of the National Action Plan to Combat Modern Slavery.

Resources mentioned in this video include:

• UN Global Compact Network Australia and Maritime Union of Australia – Modern Slavery within Maritime Shipping Supply Chains: https://unglobalcompact.org.au/publications/