Many products these days come with the promise that workers and communities all along their supply line are protected from abuse under a particular standard or code of conduct. Since the United Nations adopted the
Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights a decade ago, a plethora of such certification systems have emerged, including for mining and connected industries ranging from cars to jewelry and electronics.
Millions of adults and children around the world suffer abuses as workers who obtain raw materials, toil on farms, and make products for the global market. They are at the bottom of global supply chains, for everything from everyday goods like vegetables and seafood to luxury items like jewelry and designer clothing that end up on store shelves worldwide.