Supplier Resources

Below are two sample Supplier Statements that companies and their subcontractors may use or adapt according to the maturity of the market in addressing issues of trafficking in persons and forced labour.  Companies and their sub-contractors can use these statements to publicly demonstrate their commitment to mitigating the risks of human trafficking and forced labour. They may also be incorporated into tender documentation or included as part of submissions that address sustainability requirements.

This is a tool to briefly explain to senior company executives the importance and modalities for addressing the risk of TIP and forced labour in supply chains.  It succinctly sets out the context, the business imperatives for addressing this requirement, and the requirements, including concrete actions companies can take.

These are messages to be adapted to advocacy/awareness-raising materials targeting suppliers (e.g., explainers, flyers, posters). A brief key message in bold is complemented by an explanatory text.     

The Supplier Self-assessment form evaluates a supplier’s commitment and maturity in preventing human trafficking and forced labour across their operations and supply chain. 

It can be used to develop surveys. Companies can select relevant questions to gather information on how they or their subcontractors address forced labour and human trafficking.  The tool is useful for: surveying on specific aspects of their labour practices; or to gather baseline data to understand the general landscape of a supply chain on these issues; or track progress over time in adopting better practices; or to identify trends and challenges within a supply chain. 

 The form covers key areas, including: Policies on the prevention of forced labour, human trafficking, and child labour; wages; grievance mechanism; health and safety of workers; and working hours. 

Three sets of questions are provided as follows: 

1. Basic level: for a basic compliance check.  

2. Intermediate level: for more formal implementation and monitoring processes beyond basic compliance.  

3. Advanced Questions: for more sophisticated practices and a higher level of commitment.  

The sample Verification Guidance Document supports the verification of suppliers responses.  Users of the questionnaire would be able to select the relevant questions as applicable to their context.  

A Social Audit template can be used particularly in cases where site audits are mandated or necessary.  The Social Audit Template is accompanied by a Guide providing step-by-step instructions for auditors using the detailed Social Audit Template to assess a supplier's policies, procedures, and practices related to preventing human trafficking and forced labour. Users must remember to adapt the process and specific questions to the unique context of each supplier and the specific requirements of the project or tender. 

This is a brief slide show for use at seminars attended by companies to pique their interest in finding out more about addressing the risk of human trafficking and forced labour in supply chains.  Noting that the presenter of the slide might not be an expert on human trafficking or forced labour, the presentation contains only two slides, each with simple content, to identify the problems in an interactive and participatory way. A link would then direct participants to a UNGM page with more information.   

This comprehensive toolkit provides United Nations suppliers and global business partners with essential resources to identify, prevent, and remediate human trafficking and forced labour risks within their supply chains.

Grounded in international normative frameworks such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the collection offers a strategic range of materials, including high-level executive briefings, key advocacy messages, and practical operational tools like self-assessment questionnaires, social audit guides, and supplier commitment templates.

Designed to support organisations at every stage of maturity, these documents facilitate robust human rights due diligence, helping businesses ensure compliance with the UN Supplier Code of Conduct, mitigate legal and reputational risks, and foster ethical procurement practices globally.