Verite, the global NGO, together with the Alliance to Stop Slavery and End Trafficking (ASSET), announced today at the Clinton Global Initiative a commitment aimed at stemming forced labor and human trafficking world-wide.

The joint commitment, entitled, Brokering Results in the Prevention of Slavery, will mobilize effective approaches to preventing human trafficking in supply chains, including manufacturing and material sourcing with companies, NGOs, regulators and other stakeholders. The organizations seek to recruit three companies initially to take the lead in examining and addressing risks, and then share the learning that results.

Today, human trafficking and slavery ensnare the lives of more than 25 million people. Forced labor, child labor and trafficking permeate many of the world's supply chains and are an emerging concern in the private sector. Verite and ASSET's joint commitment is aimed at providing tools for corporations, governments, and civil society to address the business processes that lead to slavery through debt bondage and other risk factors.

"Anytime and anywhere where workers make goods, they are at risk of becoming enslaved," said Julia Ormond, Founder of ASSET. "Many think this is only a problem in developing countries," added Ormond, "but it exists in developed countries like Europe and the U.S. too."

"Our joint commitment," said Dan Viederman, Executive Director of Verite, "is to pilot a set of tools relating to a range of business practices where this issue is endemic. Then, we need to communicate lessons learned so that more companies follow. Only when business is more vocal about slave-labor problems and solutions, can we work to eradicate these widespread practices," added Viederman.

About Verite
Verite's mission is to ensure people worldwide work under safe, fair, and legal conditions. The NGO's international experts and global partnership network are operating in over 65 countries, humanizing the global workplace and changing lives. Verite's programs and services empower companies, factories, NGOs, governments, and workers to create sustainable labor practices in the factories and communities where consumer goods are manufactured. For more information, visit www.verite.org.

About ASSET
Alliance to Stop Slavery and End Trafficking (ASSET) is an advocacy organization that focused on slavery as an economic crime and identifies possible solutions. ASSET encourages corporation, NGOs, governments and individuals to collaborate to create systemic change. ASSET is currently advising on SB657, California legislation aimed at eradication slavery and trafficking from supply chains. ASSET is a member of Humanity United's Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking.

About CGI
In 2005, President Clinton established CGI to turn ideas into action and to help our world move beyond the current state of globalization to a more integrated global community of shared benefits, responsibilities, and values. By gathering world leaders from a variety of backgrounds, CGI creates a unique opportunity to channel the capacities of individuals and organizations to realize change.

CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 100 current and former heads of state, 14 Nobel Peace Prize winners, hundreds of leading global CEOs, major philanthropists and foundation heads, directors of the most effective non-governmental organizations, and prominent members of the media.

Verite

Verite

At Verité©, we are committed to ensuring that people worldwide work under safe, fair and legal conditions. In over 60 countries around the world we provide governments, corporations, investors, factories, NGOs and workers with information on global working conditions and innovative programs to improve them

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