HP Innovation Journal Special Edition: Sustainable Impact | Page 15

Combatting Forced Labor
The term “forced labor” refers to situations in which people are coerced to
work against their will, either overtly through violence or intimidation, or by
more subtle means such as accumulated debt, retention of identity papers, and
threats of denunciation. HP forbids any forced, bonded, or indentured labor,
involuntary prison labor, slavery, or trafficking of persons within its supply chain.
Forced labor risks occur most frequently during the recruitment process when
labor agencies recruit and place overseas workers in manufacturing sites. These
agencies sometimes withhold personal documentation, charge worker placement
fees, give deceptive information, and provide contracts that foreign workers
cannot understand. These practices put workers at risk, violate our policies, and
contradict our values. To increase visibility and accountability of the recruitment
process, HP requires contracts and payments to be managed directly by the
supplier. In 2017, we conducted specialized assessments of conformance with our
Foreign Migrant Worker Standard for selected manufacturing suppliers in high-risk
areas with migrant workers.
Empowering Women in the Supply Chain
In China, women working in factories often face gender discrimination, poor
access to services, significantly lower wages, and fewer promotion opportunities.
Developed in partnership with Diageo, Plan W provides women in our supply
chain with training and practical skills, including effective communication, time
management, problem-solving, and decision-making. Women completing the
program at the end of 2017 reported increased confidence, assertiveness, and
effectiveness, helping them to develop their careers and become more equal in
the workplace. Collectively, we enriched the lives of 20,000 women in our shared
supply chain in 2017. In January 2018, we launched a similar program for a cohort
of women at all of our major suppliers in Chongqing. These women will become
advisors, peer educators, and support group leaders on topics developed by
the workers. Four of HP’s suppliers won awards for outstanding sustainability
performance in the Women in Factories program, an initiative sponsored by the
Walmart Foundation to educate workers about communication, reproductive
health, and time management. Almost 1,000 peer educators at 10 supplier
factories were trained as leaders and mentors to aid in personal and career
development. Advancing this agenda beyond HP, we sponsored language within
the Responsible Business Alliance Code of Conduct that addresses working
conditions for pregnant and nursing women, including requiring adequate
accommodation for nursing mothers.
Supply Chain 2020
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