AngloGold Ashanti has released its second Modern Slavery Statement. The statement has been produced in line with the Australian government’s Modern Slavery Act 2018 and the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015. The company reports against the latter on a voluntary basis.
The company’s Modern Slavery Statement reflects its commitment to respect human rights – the fundamental rights and freedoms to which everyone is entitled and companies like AngloGold Ashanti have a role to play in preventing and eliminating any practices that may be defined as modern slavery across the business sector.
In 2017, the International Labour Organisation estimated that over 40 million people were exposed to modern slavery the previous year. Of this figure, 71% were women and girls, and one in four were children. These figures are likely to be worse in the wake of Covid-19. The UK’s Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre estimates that the pandemic has exacerbated the underlying drivers of modern slavery worldwide.
In this context, AngloGold’s efforts to understand and mitigate modern slavery risks at every step in the value chain are an ethical imperative, through understanding these potential risks, addressing them, and reporting on them transparently on a regular basis, the company is able to ensure that these risks do not pose a threat to any of their employees or their business. To further this end, the company’s Modern Slavery Statement 2021 provides a detailed overview of its footprint, supply chain and approach to human rights, as well as potential modern slavery risks at its operations and how these are being addressed.
The full report can be accessed here: (Modern Slavery Report 2021 (aga-reports.com)