Combating Forced Labor in Global Supply Chains Through Modern Technology: A Case Study of Uyghurs in Xinjiang

This thesis examines how modern traceability technologies can help combat forced labor in global supply chains, focusing on the case of Uyghur workers in Xinjiang, China. The research addresses the pressing challenge of verifying ethical labor practices in complex, multi-tiered supply networks, using the case study alongside an extensive literature review. It evaluates advanced technological solutions, including blockchain ledgers, isotope analysis, radio-frequency identification (RFID) tagging, and microbiome tracing as tools to improve supply chain transparency. Through qualitative case analysis and analysis of current research, the thesis assesses each technology’s capability to trace product origins and authenticate labor conditions. The findings highlight that these traceability innovations offer significant potential to deter and detect forced labor by providing greater visibility into the origin and route of goods. Blockchain can create an immutable record of transactions, isotope and microbiome analyses scientifically verify the geographic origin of raw materials, and RFID enables real-time tracking of items through each stage of production. However, the study also identifies implementation challenges, the need for cross-industry collaboration, and scalability issues for smaller firms. A key contribution of this thesis is the development of an innovative tiered framework tailored to the distinct capacities of small, medium, large, and multinational businesses, offering specific, actionable strategies to adopt traceability tools in ethically vulnerable supply chains. Policymakers are urged to incentivize transparency technologies as due diligence laws to prevent forced labor, while industry leaders should integrate these tools to meet emerging regulatory standards and ethical commitments. By leveraging modern traceability systems and fostering collaboration between businesses and regulators, stakeholders can significantly enhance supply chain accountability and move toward the eradication of forced labor in global trade.