Forced Labour and Human Trafficking

_{In warehousing and logistics, risks can arise through agency work, temporary contracts and outsourced operations, particularly  workers are recruited through labour brokers, housed by employers or dependent on continued employment to maintain immigration or legal status. Excessive overtime, threats of dismissal and barriers to worker representation can further increase vulnerability and limit access to protection and remedy. Luke- Added from general risks, need to integrate}

Warehousing operations can be vulnerable to forced labour and human trafficking, particularly where migrant workers are recruited through labour agencies or cross-border recruitment systems. Workers may incur recruitment fees, debt, or travel costs that bind them to exploitative employment relationships.

Indicators of forced labour in warehousing may include confiscation of identity documents, restricted freedom of movement, withheld wages, or threats of deportation. Migrant workers may be particularly vulnerable due to language barriers, limited knowledge of labour rights, or dependence on employers for housing or immigration status.  

In subcontracted warehousing operations, companies may have limited visibility into recruitment practices used by labour agencies. Workers may be recruited through informal networks or brokers that operate outside formal regulatory frameworks. These arrangements can facilitate exploitation and human trafficking. 

Warehousing environments may also conceal forced labour risks because work often takes place within private facilities that are not easily visible to regulators, trade unions or the public. Workers may work long hours under constant surveillance while lacking meaningful access to grievance mechanisms. 

The ITF Warehousing Principles emphasise that all warehouse operators must respect fundamental rights at work, including the elimination of forced labour and the protection of human rights across supply chains.