Forced, child and underage labour
Telenor Leads the Way in Child Safety
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), nearly 28 million people globally are in forced labour, while 160 million children are involved in labour, often under dangerous conditions. We are committed to eradicating these forms of labour across our business and supply chain.
The risk of forced, child, and underage labour in hazardous conditions is significant in our markets and supply chain. Forced labour is any involuntary work carried out under threat, including bonded labour, slavery and human trafficking. Economic disruptions, rising inflation, the pandemic and labour shortages have increased these risks in some of our markets.
To address these challenges, Telenor uses a risk-based approach to identify and mitigate the risks of forced, child and underage labour within our operations and global supply chain.
Telenor prohibits forced, child and underage labour
Our commitment to eradicate these forms of labour across our business and supply chain is embedded in our Code of Conduct and Supplier Conduct Principles (SCP). The SCPs ensure that direct suppliers follow standards for responsible business, requiring them to prohibit forced labour, develop and implement written policies, and ensure that all labour is voluntary.
Workers must be able to leave employment with reasonable notice and not be required to lodge documents as a condition of employment. Suppliers must also prohibit child and underage labour in hazardous conditions, implementing clear policies on minimum age and addressing any violations. We also require suppliers to adopt policies that avoid acquiring conflict minerals tied to social and environmental harm.
Continuous monitoring of risks
Telenor continues to monitor risks in the supply chain, particularly in areas impacted by the global economic downturn. In some Asian markets, the risk of forced and child labour is high, especially in sectors such as electronics manufacturing and mining. Read more in-depth in our 2023 Annual Report (from p. 70).
Telenor also collaborates with the Joint Alliance for CSR (JAC) to improve supply chain conditions, conducting third-party audits and inspections to identify risks.
At Telenor, we continue to focus on systemic changes, aiming to create long-term improvements within the industry and leading collective efforts to drive better labour practices throughout our supply chain.