Impact of child labour 

When children miss out on going to school, it severely limits their chances of having a better future. While their family may receive some extra income in the short term, in the long run, the children will face disadvantages due to lack of education or slower physical and mental development. This continues a negative cycle of poverty that can be difficult to break.

Nobody wants children to work, but 160 million still do. It's crucial to thoroughly investigate child labour and its root causes. Child labour needs to be addressed by various parties, including the government, civil society organizations, and businesses. Companies can go through the six steps of 'due diligence' and identify which supply chains pose a risk of child labour and which measures are effective.

Some specific measures to address child labour are provided below. We will dive deeper into these in Module 7.

• Be a reliable trading partner, for example, by paying on time, agreeing on realistic prices, and not changing agreements in between.
• Strive for a situation of equal, long-term relationships where the ideas and desires of suppliers are also taken into account.
• Discuss with suppliers to what extent options such as on-site childcare, the opportunity for mothers to breastfeed their child, or providing school meals can be jointly realised, etc.
• Work with reliable suppliers with whom clear agreements on working conditions and the exclusion of misconduct can be made.
• Purchase certified ingredients/raw materials.
• Collaborate with others to achieve living incomes and wages.
• Collaborate with local organisations to improve the situation for children.