Coffee. Gloves. Smartphones. Solar panels. Seafood. So much of what we consume comes from sprawling global supply chains tainted by forced labour. This abhorrent practice endures because it pays. Companies and governments pocket nearly $236bn in profits each year from forced labour.
Why is forced labour so profitable? Because so little has been done to stop it. Prosecutions are rare, corporate accountability is elusive, and justice for workers remains the exception, not the rule.
In recent years, advocates have found a weapon capable of hitting companies where it hurts: the market. Import bans shut the door on goods made with forced labour. No access, no profit. And that is exactly why this trade tool is gaining global traction. It is one of the only tools in the corporate accountability arsenal with real teeth. Import bans are not a silver bullet, by any means. But they can punish exploiters, provide remedies to workers, and force real change. Import bans cannot be lightly dismissed.
