19 candidates shortlisted for the 2022 Stop Slavery Award

The Thomson Reuters Foundation has today announced the 19 candidates – including corporates, non-profits and individuals – shortlisted for its annual Stop Slavery Award in recognition of their dedication to ending the scourge of modern slavery and human trafficking.

Launched in 2015, the Award commends the businesses that have set a gold standard in efforts to eradicate forced labour from their supply chains. The initiative has since expanded to include new categories, recognising journalists, innovators, cross-sector collaborators and non-profits in the fight against modern slavery – a multi-billion-dollar industry affecting an estimated 40.3 million people around the world.

The shortlisted candidates were chosen from more than 150 entries received this year from more than 30 countries.

The candidates for the prestigious Enterprise Award were selected by a panel of some of the world’s most influential anti-slavery and anti-trafficking leaders: Human Rights Watch Executive Director Kenneth Roth, former UK Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner Kevin Hyland, International Criminal Lawyer Patricia Viseur Sellers, former New York County District Attorney and a Partner at Baker McKenzie Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., Advisor to the B Team and Visiting Executive at Oxford’s Saïd Business School Rajiv Joshi, Forum for the Future Executive Sally Uren, and Thomson Reuters Foundation COO Nick Glicher.

All Enterprise Award applicants completed an extensive questionnaire developed in partnership with experts in the field, including Kevin Coon, Partner of global law firm Baker McKenzie, which firm is also Headline Sponsor for this year’s in-person award ceremony. It highlights human rights best practices in corporate commitment and reporting, performance management, business partner engagement, risk assessment and investigation and remediation

An independent third party, Uplift Worldwide, scored the submissions to this Award using specific criteria based on existing standards and best practices.

The jury for the additional four categories (Hero, Innovation, Collaboration and Media) included leading figures in their respective fields: Thomson Reuters Foundation’s CEO Antonio Zappulla, Professor of Modern Slavery Law at King’s College London and Human Rights Barrister Parosha Chandran, former US Ambassador to Monitor Trafficking in Persons and Robina Fellow at Yale University Luis CdeBaca, Senior Partner at Fleishman Hillard Paul Haugen, International Humanitarian Photographer Lisa Kristine, The Guardian’s Commissioning Editor of its Modern-Day Slavery series, Annie Kelly, and Founding Member and Executive Director of the Bangladesh Center for Workers Solidarity Kalpona Akter. 

The Award categories and the shortlisted candidates, in alphabetical order, are:

1. Stop Slavery Enterprise Award (Goods & Service Companies)

This Award recognises companies that have taken concrete steps to root out forced labour from their supply chains. The shortlist is:

• PwC, United Kingdom
• Tony’s Chocolonely, Netherlands
• Woolworths, Australia

Speaking shortly after the announcement, Woolworths’ Chief Sustainability Officer Alex Holt said: “We are committed to creating a better tomorrow for workers throughout our supply chain. We aim to foster transparency and long-term impact to improve the experiences of people today and into the future. We know there’s more to do and we’ll continue to work with our suppliers to end modern slavery”.

2. Stop Slavery Enterprise Award (Small & Medium-Sized Companies)

This Award commends for businesses going above and beyond in their efforts to eradicate forced labour, the worst forms of child labour, and other forms of slavery. The shortlist is:

• Ardea International, United Kingdom
• Sudara, United States
• World Wise Foods, United Kingdom

3. Stop Slavery Hero Award

This Award recognises grassroots organisations that have had a significant impact in the fight to eradicate modern slavery – whether on the frontlines or on a global scale. The shortlist is:

• Centre DIRECT, India
• Impulse NGO Network, India
• Novi Put, Bosnia and Herzegovina

4. Stop Slavery Innovation Award

This Award recognises innovative initiatives in the global fight to end modern slavery. The shortlist is:

• Diginex, Hong Kong
• Justice & Care, United Kingdom
• Traffik Analysis Hub, United Kingdom