Patricia Cole (pictured center), recently moderated a panel entitled “Human Trafficking & Corporate Responsibility from the Business, Government, and Nonprofit Perspectives.” This event, part of the Fordham University Center for Nonprofit Leaders Coffee, Conversation & Connecting Series, and the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce Anti-Human Trafficking Series, emphasized that human trafficking is not only a social justice and human rights issue but also a corporate social responsibility issue.
Through presentations given by David Arkless (President, International CDI), Rosalee Keech (Board Member and UN Observer for the League of Women Voters of the U.S.), Debra Brown Steinberg (Founder VS: Confronting Modern Slavery), and John Temple (Attorney-in-Charge, Human Trafficking Program, NY County District Attorney’s Office), the panel encouraged good businesses to adopt and expand internal standards that will identify, prevent, and eliminate human trafficking.
Important strategies include adopting sound compliance, educating management and staff, notifying partners and suppliers and supporting effective legislation. It is the hope of the organizers that the panel will also continue to foster cross-sector partnership and commitment of government, business, and nonprofits to end human trafficking.
Video provided by Kraig DeMatteis, M.S. Ed, Fordham University GSS
Patricia Cole is the Founder and the Anti-Human Trafficking Program, Director of the “What Business Can Do to Fight Human Trafficking” Series at the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, a Representative of the RSHM NGO, and Coalition Member of the UN Committee to Stop Trafficking in Persons. She is also a student in Fordham’s M.S. in Nonprofit Leadership program. To learn more and get involved, please contact Patricia at pcole1@fordham.edu.
