While Canada enjoys strong protections against labour exploitation, the reality is that forced labour could have been used to produce many everyday items. Canada has taken a significant step in addressing this problem through the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act.
Technologies like DNA tracking can be used to trace the origins of raw materials while integrating sensors, cameras and other cloud technology can enable real-time monitoring of working conditions, however technology is only part of the solution.
Read the full article co-written by UC’s Professor in Operations Management and Sustainability; Associate Dean Research at UC Business School, Dr Pavel Castka on The Conversation.
Disclosure statement
Cory Searcy receives funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
Grant Michelson and Pavel Castka do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
