GBCAT - Global Business Coalition Against Human Trafficking
In light of upcoming World Day against Trafficking in Persons, take a look at BSR's collaborative initiative GBCAT which is committed to combating human trafficking in company operations and supply chains.
Who We Are
We are a coalition of businesses committed to combating human trafficking in company operations and supply chains.
Our Mission
The mission of GBCAT is to harness the power of business across sectors to prevent and reduce human trafficking, and support survivors.
Our History
The Global Business Coalition Against Trafficking (GBCAT) was initiated through a series of dialogues with the private sector led by co-founders David Arkless, Dawn Conway, Mark P. Lagon, and Robert Rigby-Hall between 2010 to 2012. These dialogues brought together leading corporations that shared the ambition of ending human trafficking both for labor and sexual exploitation, one of the most egregious human rights violations of our time.
GBCAT was established as the first cross-sectoral business alliance focused only eliminating human trafficking in company operations and supply chains, with the critical mission to harness the power of business across sectors to prevent and reduce human trafficking, and support survivors. The coalition became internationally recognized when President Obama announced the launch of GBCAT during the UN General Assembly in September of 2012.
Over the course of its history, GBCAT has hosted several events around the world to highlight the challenges that businesses face in understanding and addressing human trafficking. Participating companies of GBCAT have set about increasing their own capacity to prevent human trafficking within direct operations and supply chains, as well as actively advancing the international agenda to tackle human trafficking at a global level. GBCAT members were stakeholders in the crafting, supporting, and advancing adoption of the UK Modern Slavery Act in 2015.
In July 2017, BSR was appointed secretariat to help the initiative grow and more fully realize its mission over the long-term. Today, the group’s vision of focuses on three areas where business can carry out a unique role in addressing human trafficking: (1) supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in corporate supply chains to understand and right-size their response to forms of human trafficking; (2) supporting survivors in breaking the cycle of entrapment through employment; and (3) helping other businesses navigate the complex landscape of anti-trafficking organizations and resources.
GBCAT is a member-driven initiative, and welcomes applications from any company that wishes to actively contribute to our mission to harness the power of business across sectors to prevent and reduce the incidence of human trafficking, and support survivors
Our Focus Areas
- Survivor Empowerment & Employment: Enabling businesses to support survivors through access to job skills training and employment opportunities.
- SME Capability Building: Building capacity among small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to prevent and eradicate modern slavery and participate in responsible global supply chains.
- Navigate existing resources: Providing resources guidance for businesses of all sizes to navigate the landscape of anti-slavery tools, training, and organizations.
Governance
It is key to the success of the GBCAT to have a healthy networking, dialogue, and collaboration environment for all of its Regular Members and Councilors. GBCAT’s Operating Charter makes up the governance document of coalition and serves the purpose of providing an operational model. The document describes how GBCAT will be governed and outlines rights and obligations of membership, in addition to other key organizational elements of GBCAT.
GBCAT invites global businesses to join in helping to tackle human trafficking. Do you want to learn more? Find additional information, resources, news & events, as well as contacts here: GBCAT
