On behalf of the Indirect Procurement Human Rights Forum (IPHR) – a group of UK retailers, brands and manufacturers – the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) has announced the launch of a new Recycling Modern Slavery Protocol.
In July 2021, CIWM and the Environmental Services Association (ESA) presented a joint commitment to tackle slavery, forced labour and human trafficking across the industry. Since the launch, CIWM has been supporting a number of organisations and initiatives to reduce the risk of modern slavery across its membership base and the wider sector.
The IHPR Modern Slavery Protocol is a voluntary agreement and public pledge of commitment from organisations to work collaboratively to tackle modern slavery and prevent exploitation or abuse of workers.
Consisting of six pages, the protocol sets guidelines for organisations in the sector on how to take action to protect vulnerable and exploited workers, whilst helping to build understanding of risks and embed responsible practices to improve standards.
In signing the protocol, organisations ‘are committing to continuous improvements in meeting the requirements and principles set out’. IPHR says that it recognises that there may be areas requiring further development, but in signing this document company’s are committing to working towards addressing any gaps.
According to slavery experts, estimates of victims of modern slavery in the UK have been put at around 100,000 people. In 2018, it was reported by non-profit Hope for Justice that two thirds of victims of modern slavery had been placed within the waste and recycling sector at some point during their period of exploitation.
According to Unseen, a charity dedicated to ‘working towards a world without slavery’ and which runs the Modern Slavery Helpline, there were four cases of modern slavery in the waste and recycling sector reported to its helpline between October 2016 and the end of 2017. These involved around 50 victims in four different police regions – demonstrating a UK-wide problem.
Ray Parmenter, Head of Technical and Policy at CIWM commented: “It’s important that all stakeholders in the waste and recycling sector play their part in eliminating this.
“We would urge everyone in the sector to act upon the advice and guidance contained within this protocol, as well as the IPHR Modern Slavery Toolkit that was published in October 2021.”
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How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.