HUMAN TRAFFICKING:
“A Crime Against Humanity“
to the work of NWCRI and Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) shareholders. In 2010, NWCRI wrote to the Hyatt’s global head of corporate responsibility (GHCR) concerning IPJC held monthly vigils in Seattle to raise awareness about “Hyatt’s responsibility as Human Trafficking for over 12 years through 2019. a world-class hotel brand BY JUDY BYRON, OP to address the egregious issue of child sex trafhile in the restroom of the Savannah, Georgia ficking.” Over five years of dialogue, Hyatt took its responsibility airport recently, I saw a sign in bold red type seriously and began partnering with organizations addressing that asked: “Are you or someone you know human trafficking and implementing training, which is now being sold for sex or made/forced to work mandatory for all employees. for little or no pay and cannot leave?” It gave a 1-800 Hyatt signed The Code on Human Rights Day 2015. In number to call. The sign took me back 25 years ago, to when August of that year, the GHCR expressed appreciation for the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) assembly shareholders’ guidance on human trafficking. She said that we called women religious everywhere to address human trafficking. helped her to see the hotel’s responsibility in addressing human One of the most impactful ways in which women religious trafficking and she recognized that the training provided for and the Northwest Coalition for Responsible Investment employees makes a difference beyond the hotel. (NWCRI) members have addressed human trafficking is by We also engaged with the airline industry, which can using our investments to press corporations to prevent human unwittingly facilitate the trafficking of persons. In 2010, we trafficking in their operations. We began with the tourism began a dialogue with Delta Airlines, which indicated its industry, specifically hotels and airlines. willingness to sign The Code. To ensure Delta followed through, Using “The Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children NWCRI and our colleagues filed a shareholder resolution, from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism” (The Code)— which we withdrew when Delta became the first U.S. airline to which provides awareness, tools, and support to the tourism sign The Code. industry to prevent the sexual exploitation of children—in 2005 Sister Valerie Heinonen of Mercy Investments praised Delta, we filed a shareholder resolution with Marriott International, saying, “While so many companies are loathe to even mention Inc. In 1999, Marriott receptionists in San José, Costa Rica the term ’human trafficking’ for fear of tarnishing their public were found to be part of a network at several hotels involved in image, Delta finally understood that the only way to shed light the sexual exploitation of minors. on this odious crime is to confront it head on.” The resolution requested that the company adopt a policy The work that we committed ourselves to 25 years ago 1 prohibiting the sexual exploitation of minors on Marriott continues today. The 2021 Global Estimates of Modern Slavery premises. It resulted in dialogue between shareholders and indicate that there are 50 million people in modern slavery. Marriott representatives. In 2006, the company adopted a We believe that what we label as “human trafficking” and Pope human rights policy statement that includes human trafficking Francis calls a “crime against humanity” will be eradicated and forced labor. In November 2016, Marriott reported that when we work in solidarity. For, as Pete Seeger sings, one human trafficking training for all associates in its 6,000 hotels person’s hands can’t tear a prison down, “but if two and two would be required. The company also signed The Code in 2018. and fifty make a million. We’ll see that day come round.” Training on human trafficking, including both labor and sex 1. https://www.ilo.org/sitesdefault/files/wcmsp5/groups public/@ trafficking, is a brand standard at Hyatt hotels, due, in part,
W
ed_norm/@ipec/documents/publication/wcms_854795.pdf A M AT T E R O F S P I R I T
11