Professor David Batstone, co-founder and president, of Not For Sale
Professor
David Batstone, President of the Not for Sale campaign, was invited to the UN Summit in
Turkey on Supply Chain and Human Trafficking earlier this month. Under his leadership,
Not For Sale has developed into a widespread movement that is committed to abolishing
modern-day slavery. The five-year-old campaign has branched out into several
international arms and continues to grow.
At the summit, Batstone presented a study on
disturbing trends of forced labor in the apparel industry. The report, helmed
by Not for Sale’s Free2Work project, looks at slavery in the apparel industry
through an unapologetic lens. Spurred on
by brand loyalty and consumer activism for fair trade, the report, “Apparel Industry Trends: From
Farm to Factory”,
carefully studies over 300 top brands.
Staying true to Not For Sale’s commitment to
transparency, the report uses publicly available information and data
self-reported by companies to rate how brands address child and forced labor in
their supply chains. The report reveals worrying labor trends employed by several
brands that enjoy significant consumer loyalty. The study also focuses on past
records of negligence of employee rights, including unpaid wages, by companies that
came away with favorable rankings.
The report is available for download on
smartphones and empowers consumers to make informed choices by making the
rankings accessible online. In Batstone’s own words: “To create true
breakthrough in the fight against slavery, we need systemic change. Free2Work
and the Apparel Industry Trends
report equip everyone to advocate for that change and make it a part of their
everyday life.”
Batstone’s relentless pursuit of justice also
had him forging new connections at the summit. One outcome of note, Batstone
reveals that Microsoft has agreed to equip Not for Sale with the required technological
infrastructure to keep the momentum going and assist Not For Sale’s supply
chain transparency reporting for the corporate world.
