d) Private Sector

The involvement of the private sector in the fight against trafficking is necessary in many respects. In particular the private sector aids in the prevention and identification of the phenomenon and in the prosecution of traffickers.

→ In order to prevent and detect trafficking in persons for labor exploitation, all companies must be vigilant about their activities and those of their suppliers and partners. Today, more and more companies are paying attention to “ethical auditing” and “corporate social responsibility.”

→ As forms of online trafficking multiply, as new technologies allow traffickers to generate very large profits while reducing the risks of identification and prosecution, financial institutions and actors involved in new technologies have a particularly important role to play:

Financial institutions: they must develop technological tools to systematically identify and report suspicious flows that may lead to traffickers or consumers, but also collaborate on the exchange of information on related crimes (money laundering, corruption, migrant smuggling).
Technology companies: Strengthening innovation and the use of technology in the fight against trafficking.
Online platforms, digital access and service providers: Improve online safety (strengthen privacy settings, include warnings, usage tips, age restrictions) and moderation, reporting and response to reported content and authors.

Given the evolution of trafficking and the diversity of forms of exploitation, States must take responsibility and develop partnerships with the private sector. These public-private partnerships are essential to create new tools and develop existing tools – especially technological tools – to make them effective in the fight against trafficking. As an example:

The Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime is a public-private financial coalition that strengthens the fight against financial crime worldwide.

The Liechtenstein Initiative Finance Against Slavery and Trafficking (FAST) is a public-private partnership between the governments of Liechtenstein, Australia, and the Netherlands and Liechtenstein private sector actors and foundations. The goal of the partnership is to mobilize the financial sector in the global effort to end modern slavery and human trafficking.

The World Economic Forum is the international organization for public-private cooperation. The Forum brings together business and political leaders from around the world as well as intellectuals and journalists to discuss the world’s most pressing issues, including health and the environment.

Other forms of multi-stakeholder coalitions and alliances are notable:

Tech Against Trafficking: a coalition of technology companies working with civil society, global experts, law enforcement, academia, technologists, and survivors to disrupt and reduce human trafficking and expand survivors’ access to resources, using technology.
Thorn: an organization that builds technologies to defend children against sexual abuse. Based on the observation that the Internet has facilitated the sale and exploitation of children, it works – in partnership with technology companies, governments and NGOs – to accelerate the identification of victims (Spotlight tool used by investigators) but also to help parents and caregivers through the “for Parents” program to accompany children in the discovery of sexual exploration and technology. The “Thorn for Parents” program to accompany children in the discovery of sexual exploration and technology.
Virtual Global Taskforce: an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and partners working together to reduce the global threat of online sexual abuse and the vulnerability of children to various transnational sex crimes.