Panel Focused on Responsible Labor Practices and Clean Recruiting

CIERTO CEO Joe Martinez presented at the Walmart Nature and People Summit for 2022. He attended with Tom Tasker, our new Director of Business Development.

Joe’s panel regarding the Ethical Charter on Responsible Labor Practices touched on how responsible recruitment is a foundational aspect of any supply chain.

He noted that Central American migrant workers face incredible challenges when coming to the US for work, even when they come through so-called regular pathways including the H-2A program.

Panel Focused on Responsible Labor Practices and Clean Recruiting

CIERTO CEO Joe Martinez presented at the Walmart Nature and People Summit for 2022. He attended with Tom Tasker, our new Director of Business Development.

Joe’s panel regarding the Ethical Charter on Responsible Labor Practices touched on how responsible recruitment is a foundational aspect of any supply chain.

He noted that Central American migrant workers face incredible challenges when coming to the US for work, even when they come through so-called regular pathways including the H-2A program.

As always, Joe was eloquent in speaking of these challenges and how they reverberate up the food labor supply chain when not addressed head-on in a proactive way, starting in migrant communities of origin.

Among the most common barriers to the implementation of responsible labor practices is pay-to-work, which often leads to forced labor.

It’s important that employers understand that their workers must be [and have been] recruited in an ethical and just way. At the same time this responsible recruitment highlights the need for workers to understand their rights, and also allows them to understand their value in the supply chain. – Joe Martinez, CIERTO CEO

L-R, Tom Tasker, CIERTO Director of Business Development; Joe Martinez, CIERTO CEO; Conference attendee; Jim Hancock of Sam’s Club; West Mathison, President of Stemilt 

Joe pointed out that CIERTO is partnering with panel member West Mathison of Stemilt Growers, companies like Walmart and others who understand how important it is to actually foster a relationship with their workers.

As Mathison notes, when workers are valued they bring added value such as higher engagement, teamwork, and higher productivity.

Joe addressed the increased demand for responsibly recruited workers driven in large part by Walmart’s adaptation of the Ethical Charter on Responsible Labor Practices, which sets the standard for responsible labor practices in the fresh produce and floral industries.

The charter includes 13 standards in three sections:

  • Respect for Laws at Work – Legal Compliance; Occupational Safety & Health; Wages & Benefits; and Working Hours
  • Respect for Human Rights – Employment is Freely Chosen; Freedom of Association; Humane Treatment and Non-Harassment; Non-Discrimination; and Protection of Children and Young Workers
  • Respect for Professional Conduct – Communication and Worker Protections; Ethical Recruitment; Responsible Purchasing Practices; Management Systems and Continuous Improvement

CIERTO aims to bring transparency, oversight, and professionalism to this part of the global food supply chain, and responsible labor practices are key to this endeavor.

What’s we’ve recognized is that it’s important than ever to ensure that workers are treated with dignity and respect, not just through the recruitment process, but during their contract, and when they return home… When you have a workforce that understands their value, they come to work whole-heartedly. – CIERTO CEO Joe Martinez

Angie Slaughter of Anheuser-Busch also spoke on the panel about the shift in the agricultural industry towards a responsible recruitment model.

Thanks and cheers to Walmart for this opportunity to speak on this critical issue, and to Jim Hancock of Sam’s Club for moderating

Here’s the link to Joe’s segment. It’s pretty short, but very important, so please take time to watch it.

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