‘Tackling Child Labour in Global Supply Chains: From Data to Due Diligence’ Webinar

Despite the world's 2015 commitment to ending child labour by 2025 under Sustainable Development Goal target 8.7, the latest joint ILO-UNICEF estimates show around 138 million children remained in child labour in 2024, including roughly 54 million in hazardous work. For companies, this represents a business-critical issue. Evolving regulatory regimes demand stronger human rights due diligence, and businesses that fail to identify and remediate child labour risks face legal sanctions, market access restrictions, and fines. High-profile incidents also pose severe reputational risks, damaging brand value, investor confidence, and consumer trust. Meanwhile, investors, customers, and major buyers increasingly factor human rights performance into procurement, finance, and market access decisions, making effective action both a risk mitigation imperative and a competitive advantage. 

The UN Global Compact Network UK convened a webinar examining the escalating business and human rights implications of child labour in global value chains. Combining the latest ILO-UNICEF data with front-line business experience, the session translated high-level evidence into practical actions companies are now able to implement. Participants learned how to identify risks in their supply chains, embed child-rights risk assessments into existing systems, develop credible remediation pathways, and strengthen supplier engagement - reducing operational and legal risk while building supply-chain resilience and long-term market stability.