Join the leading forum for accelerating fair, ethical, and responsible recruitment of migrant workers.
The Global Forum for Responsible Recruitment (GFRR) is a two-day event that brings together businesses, civil society, trade unions, government, and academia to discuss the global agenda on responsible recruitment.
The Global Data Partnership Against Forced Labour was launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos (Jan 2025). It aims to transform data-sharing between governments, businesses, civil society, trade unions, and intergovernmental organisations to build strong evidence on the prevalence, root causes, and key solutions to combat forced labour.
Initial data already highlights a strong correlation between poor recruitment practices and the risk of forced labour worldwide.
GFRR2025 will build on this momentum to explore how increased and better use of data can deliver greater utility at executive and operational level.
In particular, discussions will focus on how different datasets from a variety of stakeholders, many of which are extensive, but often siloed, can be brought together and leveraged to drive systemic change in recruitment practice.
A PLATFORM FOR IDEAS
A GLOBAL ECOSYSTEM
A COMMUNITY OF INNOVATORS
A PATH TO IMPACT
The two days of GFRR 2024 brought together experts and practitioners to tackle the challenges and solutions for protecting migrant workers. The 2024 Forum focused on presenting concrete tools for responsible recruitment, protecting the rights of women migrant workers, and the recruitment challenges in key migration corridors
DAY 1
06.25.24
DAY 2
06.26.24
DAY 1
06.25.24
09:00 – 10:00 BST
Rakesh Ranjan, South Asia Regional Coordinator, IHRB
Paul Lalli, Global VP Human Rights, The Coca-Cola Company
Sumitha Shaanthinni Kishna, Founder and Director, Our Journey
Sudeep Kunwar, Shramik Sanjal
10:00 – 11:00 BST
Aarti Kapoor, Executive Director, Embode
Sumitha Shaanthinni Kishna, Founder and Director, Our Journey
Speaker TBC
11:30 – 12:30 BST
Matt Jarrett, Chief Executive Officer, Pro-Force Group
Carola Galeppini, Senior Manager, Social Sustainability
Keelong Foo, Director, TAT WIN
12:30 – 13:00 BST
Declan Croucher, Chief Commercial Officer, Verité
14:00 – 15:00 BST
Stephen Slack, Divisional People Manager, WM Morrison Supermarkets
Evan Cupido, Africa Programme Manager, Stronger Together
Sonia Eiras Sánchez, Group Ethics Compliance Manager, Grupo G’s Espana
15:00 – 15:30 BST
Rakesh Ranjan, South Asia Regional Coordinator, IHRB
Vincent Bernard, Senior Policy Advisor, International Code of Conduct Association (ICoCA)
16:00 – 17:00 BST
The Responsible Recruitment of Women Migrant Workers
Mary Ann Abunda, Executive Director, Integrated Community Center
Marilyn Croser, Senior Researcher, FairSquare
Agnieszka Raczynska, Migration Program Coordinator, Fundación Avina
DAY 2
06.26.24
09:00 – 10:00 BST
Rae Lindsay, Partner, Clifford Chance
Maria Isabel Cubides Sanchez, Senior Manager, Social Sustainability & Human Rights, The Consumer Goods Forum
Bart Devos, Vice President of Public Policy, Responsible Business Alliance
10:00 – 10:30 BST
Marte Johnsen Stensrud, Vice President Human Rights and Social Responsibility, Equinor
11:00 – 12:00 BST
In a world of evolving risks, effectively embedding responsible recruitment throughout global supply chains is complex and resource intensive, yet vital to ending human rights abuses.
In this session, we will explore the potential of collaborative actions and initiatives to meaningfully respond to risks in global supply chains and scale up solutions. Hear from leading businesses making changes in their sectors by working together to enhance efforts to embed responsible recruitment practices right the way through their shared global supply chains.
Henriette McCool, Social Innovation & Human Rights Manager, Vinci
James Mallick, Director, Fruitful Jobs
Deeva Parikh, Partner and Human Rights Due Diligence Manager, Ethics & Sustainability, Waitrose
12:00 – 12:30 BST
Joe Martinez, Chief Executive Officer, CIERTO
Paola Cammilli, Global Director for Campaigns, Building and Wood Workers International
13:30 – 14:30 BST
Thi Thi Thein, Senior Consultant, Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business (Myanmar)
Bonny Ling, Executive Director, Work Better Innovations (Taiwan)
Tamara Juburi, Gulf Sustain Manager, IHRB (GCC)
14:30 – 15:00 BST
Samah Abassi, Director of Human Rights, IHG Hotels & Resorts
Michelle Mason, Social Responsibility and Recognition Programme Manager, World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance
15:30 – 16:30 BST
Veronica Ospina, Programme Manager – US & Mexico, Stronger Together
Pranay Rai, Director – Compliance & Business, International Manpower Recruitment (IMR)
Goretti V. Calvo, Director – Human Resources, Safety, and Training, AgSocio, US
16:30 – 17:00 BST
Paul Lalli, Global VP Human Rights, The Coca-Cola Company
Sumitha Shaanthinni Kishna, Founder and Director, Our Journey
Sudeep Kunwar, Shramik Sanjal
GFRR 2025 speakers will be announced soon.
Founder and Director,
Our Journey
Partner,
Clifford Chance
Social Innovation & Human Rights Manager, Vinci
Chair, Stronger Together and the Association of Labour Providers
Hosted by IHRB, the ILO, and IOM, the 2021 Global Forum for Responsible Recruitment took place from 12-15 April 2021. The GFRR 2021 spanned four days, convening 16 discussions. To capture some key takeaways from each session, we invited colleagues from across the ecosystem to record and share their reflections on the discussion.
Hosted exclusively online by IHRB, the 2022 Global Forum for Responsible Recruitment took place from 1 – 3 November. The GFRR 2022 presented eight live sessions plus 16 recordings viewed by more than 1,600 participants. Access all sessions and materials now available on IHRB’s YouTube channel.
Hosted in person and online by IHRB in partnership with AIM-Progress, the 2023 Global Forum for Responsible Recruitment took place from 13 to 14 June in New York City. The GFRR 2023 live-streamed 15 sessions that were viewed more than 4,000 times by participants around the world. Access all sessions and materials now available on IHRB’s YouTube channel.
Hosted in person and online by IHRB in partnership with AIM-Progress and Stronger Together, the 2024 Global Forum for Responsible Recruitment took place from 25 to 26 June in London, UK. The GFRR 2024 live-streamed 17 sessions that were viewed by participants around the world. Access all sessions and materials now available on IHRB’s YouTube channel.
GFRR is hosted by the Institute for Human Rights and Business.
The Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB) is a think tank that works to make human rights part of everyday business by shaping policy, advancing practice, and strengthening accountability across all business sectors. The IHRB Migrant Workers Programme developed the Dhaka Principles for Migration with Dignity to provide a clear framework for understanding and addressing the challenges faced by migrant workers in all sectors and locations throughout the migration cycle.
Over the last few years, Responsible Recruitment of migrant workers has featured strongly on the radar of business and governments. Since 2016, the IHRB’s Leadership Group for Responsible Recruitment (LGRR) has played a significant role in highlighting the issue of responsible recruitment and is one of the leading initiatives working towards the eradication of worker-paid recruitment fees. The Group consists of 16 international brands supported by three civil society organisations, and the ILO and IOM, who use their collective leverage to promote safe and responsible recruitment practices globally. A key premise upon which the Group is founded, ‘The Employer Pays Principle’ – No worker should pay for a job, the costs of recruitment should be borne, not by the worker but by the employer – is now widely referenced by business, governments, trade unions, civil society, and international organisations.
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