Thales Australia manages the risk of modern slavery to build a future we can all trust
Thales Australia recently submitted our Modern Slavery Statement (MSS) that reports on our risk of engaging in, or being connected to, practices of modern slavery across our operations and supply chains. In addition to complying with the Australian Government’s Modern Slavery Act 2018, our MSS assures employees, customers, vendors and the general public we are committed to the eradication of all forms of modern slavery to build a future we can all trust.
Modern Slavery can be defined as the exploitation of individuals through coercion, threats or deception in order to deprive them of their freedom for some sort of commercial or personal gain. Some notable examples of this would be human trafficking, slavery, or forced marriage.
Contrary to popular belief, Australia is not immune when it comes it modern slavery. According to , there were 213 reports of possible modern slavery cases within Australia in 2019 alone, and it’s estimated four out of five modern slavery victims go undetected in our community.
Thales’ risk management against modern slavery
Continuous improvements made by Thales Australia include process updates to better identify new risk categories when engaging with third parties for purchasing, targeted training for our procurement teams, and implementing assurance measures to monitor the effectiveness of our robust governance processes. Recognising the impact of COVID-19 on modern slavery, we’re also working with our suppliers to expedite payment times to alleviate cash flow issues. These initiatives are reflected in our updated MSS, along with the ongoing implementation of contractual terms regarding modern slavery with both new and renewing suppliers.
As a global organisation, and trusted technology partner, we recognise our critical role and responsibilities in eliminating modern slavery and advancing human rights. We strongly oppose modern slavery in all its forms, and are deeply committed to ensuring our organisation and supply chain operates with integrity and without exploitative practices
Chris Jenkins, CEO Thales Australia and New Zealand