Business Daily

Would you buy a T-shirt made with slave labour?

Sep 3, 2020

Architect Alison Killing and supply chain expert Kate Larsen discuss the use of forced Uighur labor in Chinese factories. They reveal the extent of detention facilities in Xinjiang, the challenges companies face in avoiding forced labor, and the need for transparency and risk assessment in global supply chains.

17:28

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Episode guests

Alison Killing

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Quick takeaways

Companies must avoid sourcing products from Xinjiang to prevent supporting forced Uighur labor.

Western firms in Xinjiang face ethical dilemmas and political risks amidst increasing pressures and scrutiny.

Deep dives

Investigating Detention Facilities in Xinjiang

Alison Killing, an architect and investigative journalist, discovered 268 detention facilities in Xinjiang through satellite imagery. The Chinese search engine Baidu was found to be intentionally blanking out areas where these facilities were built. The facilities exhibited heavy fortifications such as concrete walls and guard towers, indicating their alarming scale and capacity.

Introduction

2min

Investigating Detention Facilities and Imprisonment in Xinjiang, China

2min

Uncovering Hidden Construction Projects using Satellite Imagery

2min

Exploring Detainment Facilities in Xinjiang and Global Responses to Forced Labor Concerns

2min

Navigating Forced Labor Risks in Supply Chains

11min

China is accused of detaining millions of people from the Uighur ethnic minority and forcing them to work in factories. Pressure is mounting on foreign businesses to ensure material they source from China does not benefit from that forced labour. Alison Killing, an architect and investigator has found that 268 detention facilities have been built in the Xinjiang province in North-West China in just the last few years. Supply chain expert Kate Larsen says companies are often more at risk of exposure to forced labour than they might realise. But Craig Allen of the US China Business Council says US protections already exist to keep companies away from Uighur labour. And Max Zenglein of the Mercator Institute for China Studies says there are substantial incentives for companies to look the other way.

Produced by Frey Lindsay

(Picture: An alleged Uighur detention facility. Picture credit: Getty Images.)

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Business Daily

Would you buy a T-shirt made with slave labour?

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Investigating Detention Facilities in Xinjiang

Concerns About Forced Labor and Supply Chains

Challenges for Western Companies in Dealing with China

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts