Global hotel groups unite to address forced labour

Marriott, Hilton and InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) are among a group of 13 international hotel groups to come together to address the critical human rights issue of forced labour that impacts nearly 25 million people globally.

The hotel firms have united in their support of the International Tourism Partnership's (ITP) Principles on Forced Labour, which will launch today at the Global Forum for Responsible Recruitment and Employment at the Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore.

The three principles are: every worker should have freedom of movement; no worker should pay for a job; and no worker should be indebted or coerced to work.

Commenting on the principles, ITP director Madhu Rajesh said: “Nearly 25 million people worldwide are estimated to be held in forced labour today.

“Forced labour happens when people are coerced to work through violence or intimidation, or via accumulated debt, retention of identity papers or threats of reporting to immigration authorities. Forced labour is an unacceptable human rights violation that can result from unethical employment and recruitment practices throughout the labour supply chain, including for hotels."

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