Identify & Address Forced Labour Compliance Risks With AIAG

As current and emerging human rights and forced labour legislation continues to increase the risk of fines and banned goods in the US and other countries, companies are experiencing even greater pressure to gain enhanced visibility into their supply chains. Consequently, trade compliance professionals, legal teams, and the executives they advise are diligently working to understand how these legislative requirements are being enforced and how best to proceed.  

In response, AIAG’s new Forced labour/Human Rights initiative and webpage aims to equip industry organisations with the tools, resources, and information to identify and address forced labour compliance risks in their supply chains. This web-based repository includes an interactive “issue overview” module with an embedded preparedness assessment, details on global legislation and governance, and key training and events, including the upcoming “UFLPA Trade Policy: A Legal Perspective on Compliance.” 

Held both virtually and in person at AIAG Headquarters in Southfield, Michigan, on April 17, this exclusive event features Perkins Coie Partner and firm-wide Co-Chair Michael P. House, a leading attorney on the forefront of Uyghur Forced labour Prevention Act (UFLPA) compliance. Along with regularly representing clients in international trade matters before the US Department of Commerce, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), US International Trade Commission, and other federal and local agencies, Michael provides counsel on everything from UFLPA, origin marking, and classification and valuation, to Section 301 tariffs, anti-circumvention, and antidumping/countervailing duties.

Along with the latest developments from Capitol Hill and the White House that will increase US CBP’s UFLPA enforcement, Michael will share case studies, best practices, key litigation affecting CBP activities, and other recent policy developments. He will also focus on critical insights to help reduce companies’ risk of receiving a Notice of Detention, along with lessons learned from organisations who have had shipments stopped by CBP and insights on how to respond.

As preparedness is paramount to compliance, the new AIAG webpage also lists online compliance solution requirements — identified in collaboration with member company volunteers and other stakeholders based on global forced labour legislation requirements — and the first “AIAG Preferred Provider,” SUPPLIERASSURANCE. 

For companies investigating relevant third-party providers of online compliance solutions, SUPPLIERASSURANCE delivers defensible due diligence backed by validated, supplier-provided evidence. Addressing human rights supply chain traceability and due diligence requirements to meet the demands of the UFLPA, German Due Diligence Act, and other key global legislation, this unique platform supports companies in mapping products from raw material to finished goods, providing verifiable documentation to US CBP and other agencies, and proactively monitoring and managing risk. 

As the AIAG Forced labour/Human Rights initiative continues, the webpage will be updated and enhanced with additional tools to meet companies’ compliance needs, along with legal awareness resources, new eLearning modules, webinars and events, further training, and other critical offerings for AIAG members and non-members alike. 

Interested in learning more and getting involved? With more than 4,700 member companies in over 70 countries, AIAG is a unique not-for-profit mobility association where automakers, suppliers, service providers, government entities, and individuals in academia have worked collaboratively for more than 41 years to drive down cost and complexity in the supply chain. From training and events to standards, best practices, and other key resources for quality, supply chain, and sustainability, AIAG is where the industry takes action. Find out more.