This year, the State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP Report) had the opportunity to send a strong message to the private sector about combating human trafficking: Forced labor happens in your supply chains, and the U.S. federal government is paying attention. With this issue as the report’s central theme, the goal was to further the conversation with both companies and governments on effective solutions...

The political discourse that followed [the report's upgrading of Malaysia's ranking] has overshadowed the TIP office’s attempt to call on companies to pay attention to the issue of forced labor in supply chains. The report dedicates more than 20 pages to the issue — covering important themes like exploitative recruitment tactics, supply chain transparency and market dynamics that contribute to human trafficking.