HACE is working to make Child Labour an unquestioned global priority.
Navigate complex supply chain and portfolio risks through HACE’s ecosystem of technical tools, featuring our global Child Labour Benchmark, extensive risk datasets, and expert bespoke consultancy.
The HACE Child Labour Network offers a collaborative space for organisations of all types to come together and share best practice, gain actionable insights and influence the global approach to Child Labour.
The new standard in corporate Child Labour governance.
HACE has launched its first Sectoral Corporate Child Labour Benchmark, focused on the Technology Consumer Hardware sector, to evaluate the public disclosures of the top 10 publicly listed companies (over $1B USD revenue) on how they acknowledge, identify, mitigate, and remedy Child Labour in their deep supply chains. As the backbone of the global economy, the technology sector’s footprint is vast and its responsibilities are growing.
The release is timely, given that nearly 138 million children remain in exploitative work globally, and the technology sector faces growing risks. These risks include the AI infrastructure boom's demand for mineral extractives and the rise of online exploitation like the ‘kidfluencer’ economy. The report emphasises that technology supply chains built on Child Labour is inherently unstable and presents severe operational and reputational risks.
HACE’s Corporate Child Labour Benchmark series sets the new standard for corporate governance As a data-driven and open-source tool, the Benchmark empowers businesses and investors to drive meaningful progress, while also providing a transparent resource for consumers and the public to understand what "good looks like" in this complex area.
138 million children are still in exploitative or hazardous work.
which is equivalent to…
48% of the population of the United States
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8x the population of London
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1,777x the capacity of Wembley Stadium
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48% of the population of the United States 〰️ 8x the population of London 〰️ 1,777x the capacity of Wembley Stadium 〰️
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Federal fines for US Child Labour violations quadrupled from $4 million to $15 million between 2022 and 2023.
A HACE survey found 87% of consumers associated specific brands, such as Nike, with Child Labour due to historical scandals.
According to BCG, 70% of consumers are sceptical of corporate claims about taking action to address sustainability issues.
54.5% shareholder support for a 2024 Tyson Foods Child Labour resolution demonstrates investor concern.
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An ILO estimate suggests eliminating Child Labour could generate a $5.1 trillion economic benefit by 2030 globally.
Ethical consumer spending grew 9.2% since 2013, outstripping non-sustainable products by three times.
The ethical market's CAGR of 12.4% is much higher than the 4% rate for the conventional market.
Tony's Chocolonely reached €200.1 million revenue in 2024, demonstrating that ethical sourcing can be commercially successful.