A Roundup of Programs Addressing Forced Labor

Many of us think of slavery as a thing of the past, but that’s simply not the case—and the building industry has been implicated in perpetuating the problem. A report from COOKFOX Architects, “Survey of Labor Certifications for the Built Environment,” helps building professionals navigate the many programs available for addressing modern slavery and other inhumane labor practices on the jobsite and in the building material supply chain.

Although the report’s title alludes to certifications, the picture is bigger than that and includes a list of supply-chain-management services and resources for independent research, in addition to product certifications and company-level certifications. The product programs include many familiar names—like Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Cradle to Cradle (C2C), and Level (for commercial furniture)—as well as several that may not be as well known.

In addition to a large (and admittedly rather difficult to read) table listing details of all the programs, the report includes key definitions, advice on putting the data gathered from certification tools to good use, guidance on how to do further research to identify high-risk materials, and context for U.S.-based practitioners about regulatory crackdowns that could disrupt supply chains if project teams are not proactive about avoiding products reliant on forced labor.

“Slavery has been documented in almost all parts of a building at all levels of its production,” the report authors point out. “As designers, we cannot blame complex or opaque supply chains while we continue to indiscriminately specify products that benefit from slavery.”

More on forced labor

Forced Labor and the Building Material Supply Chain

Ending Human Exploitation in Building Supply Chains

Forced Labor Common in Producing Bricks, Timber

For more information:

COOKFOX Architects
cookfox.com