At the Ethical Supply Chains panel at the World Justice Forum IV, participants discussed the relationship between productive business and labor rights.
 
While international supply chains help meet global consumer demand, inexpensive goods often come at the expense of workers and their communities. Too often, inexpensive labor results in human rights violations and environmental degradation. Panelists considered the following questions: What are the best means for creating ethical and sustainable supply chains that are also profitable for business? What strategies and models exist for meeting and implementing existing international labor and environmental laws, norms, and codes of conduct? What are effective ways to monitor, measure, and rectify restrictions to justice? How do we educate consumers about their choices?
 

Moderator

Margaret Levi, Jere L. Bacharach Professor of International Studies, Department of Political Science, University of Washington; Chair in Politics, U.S. Studies Centre, University of Sydney (USA/Australia)

Panelists

Sheri Flies, Assistant General Merchandising Manager, Costco Wholesale Corp. (USA)
 
Ou Virak, President, Cambodian Center on Human Rights (Cambodia)
 
Katie Quan, Associate Chair, UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education, Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (USA)
 
Auret van Heerden, President & CEO, Fair Labor Association (South Africa)
WJP Staff World Justice Project
title bar

Read More

title bar

We create a press release for every country considered in the WJP Rule of Law Index, available in different languages. To find a specific press release, go to the relevant region and select the country of interest from the drop-down menu.

Read More

WASHINGTON (October 28, 2025) – The global rule of law recession has accelerated, according to the new WJP Rule of Law Index® 2025. A stark 68% of countries declined in their rule of law in 2025, compared to 57% in the previous year.

Read More