Podcast | Smoking Out Supply Chain Non-Compliance in North America

Think violations of environmental standards and human rights in supply chains are limited to places far from U.S. shores? Think again.

China has been roundly condemned for its unethical treatment of ethnic Uyghurs and other workers at its many manufacturing sites. But less public attention has been paid to violations of human rights and environmental standards in North America. And non-compliance is rampant there, too, even if it doesn’t usually rise to the extreme of China’s forced-labor practices. According to data from the supply chain auditing service Sedex, nearly half of North America’s manufacturing locations have wage-related compliance issues. And some 2,000 sites across the continent are engaged in some form of waste-management violation. On this episode, we delve into the issue of supply chain compliance in North America and elsewhere with Clare Fitton, who leads the Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA) of manufacturing working conditions and sustainability efforts. We learn of the high cost of non-compliance, especially at a time when regulations are on the rise. Even companies that request a Sedex audit might find that their supply chains are falling short of expectations. Hosted by Bob Bowman, Editor-in-Chief of SupplyChainBrain.

Show notes:

Sedex’s report on forced labor in global supply chains.