Seoul – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in the Republic of Korea (ROK) has hosted a workshop to promote ethical recruitment in global supply chains among Korean multinationals.  

The workshop in Seoul, Promotion of Ethical Recruitment for Business in ROK for Better Market Opportunities attracted 22 participants from 17 South Korean multinational enterprises. 

The event was the second held this year to encourage Korean multinationals to implement ethical recruitment models that protect migrant workers employed by their suppliers, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.  

An earlier IOM seminar in February raised awareness among Korean companies of the risks of modern slavery in global supply chains and the associated reputational risk for multinationals.  

“Enterprises used to react to such human rights allegations, putting in corrective measures after the fact. But there are now tools available to help enterprises to manage the risk before it strikes. These include CREST – Corporate Responsibility in Eliminating Slavery and Trafficking (CREST) – an IOM-developed initiative to promote ethical recruitment,” IOM Viet Nam official Anastasia Vynnychenko told workshop participants. 

“ROK is the HQ of many globally renowned multinationals with a major economic and financial footprint around the world. These enterprises can play an important role in promoting ethical recruitment. This includes promoting the ‘Employer Pays Principle’, which requires employers to cover all the recruitment costs of their workers, reducing the risk of both exploitation and heavy indebtedness,” said IOM ROK Head of Office Miah Park. 

The workshop was part of an IOM Development Fund-supported project: Enhancing Industry Capacity to Implement Ethical Recruitment Models in Viet Nam and Nepal to Protect Migrant Workers in South Korean Business Supply Chains.   

For more information please contact Youlan No, IOM Republic of Korea, Tel: +82 70 4820 2750, Email: yno@iom.int.