Canadians want to quit the child labour habit

MISSISSAUGA, ON – A new national poll reveals Canadians want to quit the child labour habit, but need help from government and companies:

Canadians want choice:

• 78% are frustrated at how difficult it is to determine how the products they buy are made and by whom
• 60% would stop buying a product and would switch brands if they found out that it was made by children

Canadians want change:

• 89% of Canadians agree that Canadian companies could reduce child labour by investigating supply sources
• 87% of Canadians agree that the Canadian government should require Canadian companies to report on who makes their products and what they are doing to reduce child labour in their supply chains

The national Ipsos Reid poll was conducted on behalf of World Vision, one of Canada’s largest international development organizations. Yesterday, World Vision released its Check the Chain report which makes the case for Canadian companies, the Government of Canada and civil society groups to work together on legislation that would require large companies to publically report on what they are doing to address child labour in their supply chains.

Canadians couldn’t agree more. With World Day to End Child Labour just two days away, Canadian consumers are extremely concerned that the products they use may contain child labour --- and they overwhelmingly support supply chain transparency legislation to empower them to make informed choices about what they buy.

QUOTES

“It’s encouraging to see that Canadians want change. Right now, 85 million children are toiling in dirty, dangerous, and degrading work often hidden in our supply chains. Many of the things that Canadians consume daily may contain child labour and import data indicates this problem isn’t going away on its own. We want to work with Canadian companies, the federal government and others to develop legislation that would require companies to report on what they are doing to address child labour in their supply chains, following the examples of both the US and the UK,” says Elly Vandenberg, Senior Director, World Vision Canada. 

“Canadians care about child labour. Surveys confirm that Canadians would stop buying certain products if they knew they were made by kids. Unfortunately, we don’t have enough information available to make an informed choice – it’s almost impossible to know if we are part of the problem and what companies are doing to respond. Canadian companies need to do a better job of reporting on their efforts to address child labour in their supply chains. By harnessing consumer and investor pressure, supply chain transparency legislation will raise the bar on the actions companies are taking to ensure child labour is not a hidden cost in products Canadian buy every day,” says Reena Vohra, Child Protection Policy Advisor, World Vision Canada. 

TIPS TO QUIT CHILD LABOUR

• Ask companies for information on what they are doing to ensure their products are not made by children
• Shop ethically by choosing products that are certified to have fair labour practices 
• Sign World Vision’s No Child for Sale petition asking for supply chain transparency legislation

RESOURCES 

Full World Vision Check the Chain report
Info on the UK Modern Slavery Act ​
World Vision UK report on child labour
10 Steps Companies Can Take
#WorldVisionCan
Info on World Day to End Child Labour