End Human Trafficking Now

The Athens Ethical Principles were adopted by business companies in Athens on 23 January 2006, to combat human trafficking worldwide and focus on seven main areas:

We,
Members of the business community,

Being deeply concerned that the scourge of trafficking in human beings, especially women and children, inflicts enormous suffering in the world today,

Consider unacceptable that millions of people are treated as commodities and slaves, and therefore denied their basic human rights and dignity,

Welcome the efforts of the international community to eradicate human trafficking, including through public-private partnership, and envisage this initiative as an additional means to complement and reinforce such efforts,

Recognize the significant potential of the business community to contribute to the global fight against human trafficking, and inspired by business community members who are already applying ethical policies and codes of conducts concerning human rights,

Dissociate ourselves from such illicit practices by launching the following ethical principles in which we will:

1. Explicitly demonstrate the position of zero tolerance towards trafficking in human beings, especially women and children for sexual exploitation.

2. Contribute to prevention of trafficking in human beings including awareness-raising campaigns and education.

3. Develop a corporate strategy for an anti-trafficking policy which will permeate all our activities.

4. Ensure that our personnel fully comply with our anti-trafficking policy.

5. Encourage business partners, including suppliers, to apply ethical principles against human trafficking.

6. In an effort to increase enforcement it is necessary to call on governments to initiate a process of revision of laws and regulations that are directly or indirectly related to enhancing anti-trafficking policies.

7. Report and share information on best practices.

To see list of signatories to the Athens Ethical Principles, click here.