British grocer Tesco's slavery review reports abuses in Malaysia and Thailand

 

FILE PHOTO - Signage is seen outside a Tesco extra superstore near Manchester, Britain January 8, 2020. REUTERS/Phil Noble

 

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - U.K.-based multinational groceries chain Tesco PLC <TSCO.L> has found abuses against migrant workers at its stores and distribution centres in Malaysia and Thailand, it said in its annual modern slavery statement.

 

The company listed allegations based on interviews with 168 migrant workers in Malaysia and 187 in Thailand that included passport retention, unexplained and illegal wage reductions, heavy indebtedness to labour brokers and excessive overtime work.

 

In Malaysia, the passports of 68 Indonesian and 171 Nepali workers were withheld, while 15 passports and up to 30 work permits were withheld by a supplier in Thailand.

 

"All passports were returned to workers and new policies and procedures introduced for when passports are required for work permit renewal or other government purposes," it said in the undated document.

 

Tesco also found that levels of indebtedness to service or labour providers were higher in Malaysia.

 

The firm has developed a plan to look further into the situation, including detailed investigations of specific allegations, setting up support lines and grievance mechanisms for agency workers in their home languages and guidelines to ensure workers have access to passports whenever needed.

 

Tesco will also train managers on diversity and inclusion, review and improve accommodation and worker welfare audits, provide full remediation, including the repayment of recruitment fees, and shift to recruit migrant workers directly as a preference.

 

Tesco commissioned an independent human rights consultancy, Impactt, in September last year to conduct an assessment of migrant workers' rights in stores and distribution centres in both countries. It also receives intelligence internally and from suppliers.

 

(Reporting by Liz Lee. Editing by Gerry Doyle)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-05-17

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Good work.

3 hours ago, sprq said:

Good work.

 

But not voluntary!

 

The UK government began cracking down and companies for not bothering to pay too much attention to the requirements of it's Anti Modern Day Slavery legislation. Few organizations were even meeting the basic reporting requirements let alone really bothering.

 

All the big supermarket chains, department store chains and big retailers need to get their acts together. 

 

The UK government appointed a new "Tsar" of the department responsible for compliance to this.

 

Tesco would have carried on doing <deleted>-all. like the rest, paying lip service, without the government's cranking it up.

All somewhat irrelevant as they've sold everything to CP in Thailand... 

8 minutes ago, zyphodb said:

All somewhat irrelevant as they've sold everything to CP in Thailand... 

I am sure workers conditions will improve massively under CP????

regards Worgeordie

4 hours ago, sprq said:

Good work.

Well yes good but aren't they pulling out of SE Asia?

21 minutes ago, zyphodb said:

All somewhat irrelevant as they've sold everything to CP in Thailand... 

Who are well known for their deep held opposition to such practices...

so you can get away with human trafficking as long as you are a large enough company?

1 hour ago, zyphodb said:

All somewhat irrelevant as they've sold everything to CP in Thailand... 

AND YOU think, because of that, the attitude towards migrant workers ( read: Birmese, Lao and Cambodians) did change ? ????

1 hour ago, ALLSEEINGEYE said:

so you can get away with human trafficking as long as you are a large enough company?

Did you read the article?

 

The firm has developed a plan to look further into the situation, including detailed investigations of specific allegations, setting up support lines and grievance mechanisms for agency workers in their home languages and guidelines to ensure workers have access to passports whenever needed.

 

Tesco will also train managers on diversity and inclusion, review and improve accommodation and worker welfare audits, provide full remediation, including the repayment of recruitment fees, and shift to recruit migrant workers directly as a preference.

 

Anything wrong with that?

3 hours ago, zyphodb said:

All somewhat irrelevant as they've sold everything to CP in Thailand... 

Yes indeed. Now they have pulled out from Thailand and Malaysia no need to act any further!

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Did you read the article?

 

The firm has developed a plan to look further into the situation, including detailed investigations of specific allegations, setting up support lines and grievance mechanisms for agency workers in their home languages and guidelines to ensure workers have access to passports whenever needed.

 

Tesco will also train managers on diversity and inclusion, review and improve accommodation and worker welfare audits, provide full remediation, including the repayment of recruitment fees, and shift to recruit migrant workers directly as a preference.

 

Anything wrong with that?

Did not read the article but a simple name change will fix everything.

2 hours ago, puipuitom said:

AND YOU think, because of that, the attitude towards migrant workers ( read: Birmese, Lao and Cambodians) did change ? ????

Are you suggesting that Thais are racists towards their neighbours. 555

Well I'm shocked....flay me alive....who could possibly think that such a profit-grabbing shop like Tesco would stoop to using slaves to improve profitability?

Train in "diversity and inclusion"...good luck with that in Thailand...it ain't Hackney matey

6 hours ago, zyphodb said:

All somewhat irrelevant as they've sold everything to CP in Thailand... 

Quite right, it makes me shudder to think about what will happen in the future...

Good for Tesco for at least commissioning a report. Bet they are glad they've already sold to CP. Anyone know what's the latest on the deal going through? Will CP buy just the Thailand arm of the business or the Malaysian one as well? 

14 hours ago, ALLSEEINGEYE said:

so you can get away with human trafficking as long as you are a large enough company?

Works that way the world over... not unique to Malaysia or Thailand but they do seem to have more practice than most !

17 hours ago, puipuitom said:

AND YOU think, because of that, the attitude towards migrant workers ( read: Birmese, Lao and Cambodians) did change ? ????

No, where did I say that?