When global demand for surgical gloves surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, one manufacturer was hiding a dark reality: its workers living in squalid conditions a government minister said was akin to “modern slavery”.
Prior to the discovery, three reports conducted by a private auditing firm revealed numerous ethical violations including 50 violations of Malaysian labour laws. Each report stated: "There is no forced, bonded or involuntary prison labour hired in this facility."
The presence of forced labour indicators in the Malaysian medical glove industry demonstrates a need for legislation to effectively address forced labour in the supply chain. However, Malaysia’s laws don’t provide comprehensive solutions to combat forced labour in supply chains.
