Companies must address the commercial terms that create the risks. Fulfilment deadlines, cost-per-unit expectations and contractual terms determine staffing levels, work pace and productivity targets on the floor, so effective HREDD must assesses companies own procurement practices.
Obligations must extend to all workers – whether directly employed, agency-supplied or engaged through a further subcontractor. That means mapping subcontracting chains, limiting the number of tiers, requiring equal pay and conditions for agency and directly employed workers doing the same job, and holding logistics providers contractually responsible for standards across their subcontractors. It also means covering recruitment, where forced labour in warehousing and logistics often begins.
Companies must adopt clear commitments to neutrality and non-retaliation on trade union activity, support collective bargaining and worker representation in supplier facilities, and ensure ITF-affiliated unions can reach the workers handling their goods. And where harm is found it must be put right in cooperation with workers and their representatives.