On May 11, 2023, Canada passed the Fighting Against Forced Labour & Child Labour in Supply Chains Act taking action to address the use of forced labor and child labor in global supply chains. This new regulation will have significant implications for organizations with operations in Canada.
It establishes due diligence and annual reporting requirements that require both Canadian and international businesses to publicly outline the steps they have taken to identify and prevent forced labor and child labor risks in their supply chains. The Act will come into effect on January 1, 2024, and companies are required to publicly file their first reports by May 31, 2024.
In this webinar, experts from Kharon and Assent will break down the new regulatory framework, with a focus on the similarities and differences between the Act and other frameworks, such as the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. The speakers will also share real life case studies related to forced labor exposure in global supply chains, as well as best practices for identifying and mitigating forced labor exposure.
SPEAKERS:
Dr. Abiola Okpechi, Regulatory & Sustainability Expert, ESG & Responsible Sourcing
Abiola supports companies in their efforts to integrate human rights into corporate risk management frameworks and supply chain risk analysis. Prior to joining Assent, she worked as a consultant, providing expert guidance to companies on United Nations Guiding Principles around human rights and corporate social responsibility (CSR). She also served as lead specialist on human rights at AngloGold Ashanti Ltd. In this role, she developed and led implementation of the company’s human rights strategy, addressing sustainability risks and ensuring compliance with internal and external standards for several corporate offices. Abiola holds a Ph.D. in Public Law (Human Rights).
Jamie Wallisch, Regulatory & Sustainability Expert, ESG & Responsible Sourcing
Jamie’s area of expertise is media monitoring, with a specialization in indirect screening and responsible sourcing. She helps companies proactively analyze their supply chains for adverse media mentions, denied parties, and human rights issues. Jamie has worked closely with the U.S. Department of Labor, focusing on conflict minerals, child labor, CSR, and ESG initiatives.
Kit Conklin, Vice President, Global Client Engagement, Kharon
Kit leads engagements with Kharon’s government clients and works with global corporates and financial institutions on ESG, sanctions, export control, and supply chain risk. Prior to Kharon, Kit served in national security positions with the U.S. government where he specialized in nonproliferation and East Asia security issues. Kit also established nuclear cybersecurity and technology defense programs at Lawrence Livermore and Pacific Northwest National Laboratories. Kit has held multiple fellowships and his work has been published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Center for Nonproliferation Studies. He speaks Mandarin Chinese and Spanish and holds an M.S. from the National Intelligence University and an M.A. from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.