CP Foods to tackle slavery in the broiler industry

Working with the Thai Department of Labour Protection and Welfare and Department of Livestock Development, CP Foods hopes it will raise standards to the level of internationally accepted labour relations and, in turn, bolster consumer confidence.

Prasit Boonduangprasert, executive vice-president of CP Foods, said the business realised customers placed a high priority on sustainable businesses, particularly those with environment, traceability and social responsibility through to high labour standards.

“International customers are not only considering quality, product integrity and prices,” said Prasit. “They are expecting assurance from producers that the products are produced in an environmentally friendly way and that labourers are well taken care of, without abusive issues – including child and illegal labour, as well as human trafficking.”

CP Foods believes the Thai broiler export industry is worth around 90 billion baht per annum and that “efforts to abolish child and slave labour, as well as human trafficking will raise the capability of the Thai export industry to the next level”.

The GLP framework has also been established at farm level. Stakeholders are being encouraged to adopt GLP in their operations to improve employment and working conditions in line with labour relation laws. CP Foods is to organise seminars for 200 poultry proprietors in adopting the GLP in operations. To put it in place, the business has recently appointed internal auditing teams to provide recommendations and follow up all proprietors by the end of 2016, as well as commissioning third-party certifying organisations.

“CP Foods is confident that GLP compliance not only elevates the workforce’s quality of life, but also bolsters the good image of Thai broiler producers towards international buyers, whilst raising the competitiveness of the industry in the international market,” added Prasit.