Datacom has joined other leading New Zealand businesses to ask the government to formally investigate whether the country needs a Modern Slavery Act.
The open letter, signed by 85 Kiwi businesses, was presented to transport and workplace relations and safety minister, Michael Wood, as part of the 'Tango i te kaupae muri —Take the next step' conference in Wellington.
Unlike many other countries, New Zealand currently has no accountability legislation that addresses or questions the ethics of imported and exported goods. This means that New Zealand companies could unknowingly be importing products or services that have involved exploiting or enslaving people.
Over 40 million people globally are currently in modern slavery, with two-thirds living in the Asia Pacific region. It is unknown how many may also be experiencing modern slavery in New Zealand.
Datacom already has an anti-modern slavery statement that sets out the actions we have taken to recognise and minimise the risk of modern slavery in our business operations and supply chain.