Monday, April 27, 2015

MCC Special Initiative: Anti-Human Trafficking Program

By Patricia Cole.
To visit the website, please click here.

I am the founder and director of the Anti-Human Trafficking Program at the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce

Over many years, as I was moving up the management ladder in financial services on Wall Street, I became increasingly involved in nonprofit board work. It gave me a great introduction to the very diverse and expansive world of service. It also ignited the drive to increasingly dedicate my personal time and energy to serve important social justice causes from organizing United Way annual fundraisers, to digitalizing Title 1 school programs to reduce dropout rates, to cheering on the pediatric cancer ward at local hospitals.

Human trafficking is now considered one of the worst human rights violations that take place in the United States and across the world. It is not just a human rights issue, but also a social justice and corporate social responsibility issue.

Last fall, we began an education, advocacy and awareness-raising program with the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce community – called “€œWhat Business Can Do To Fight Human Trafficking.” The MCC is a longstanding and leading business membership organization serving over 10,000 business members in the New York metropolitan area. The MCC mission fosters socially responsible corporate strategy to serve economic and social progress and community development.

Businesses often may have little knowledge or practices in place to prevent human trafficking. They may unknowingly facilitate human trafficking. Good standards, however, can be easily implemented and include adopting relevant corporate compliance policies, educating management and staff, notifying partners and suppliers, supporting effective legislation and leveraging one’s corporate standing within the community.

Broadening the call to action to this part of the business community will lead to significant deterrence of exploitation. This program also enables also enable good businesses to respond to the ever-growing global demand for pro-active social involvement.

The world needs caring and committed partnership and advocacy on behalf of those most vulnerable, those in need of a voice and all those who deserve freedom from modern slavery. Now in my encore, I can truly say that we all benefit from respecting the richness and diversity of older workers talent and insights and contributions. Thank you all!!!

Help Put an End Human Trafficking! If you see something, say something.

National Hotline Number: 1-888-3737-888

24/7 interpreters available/Confidential Text: BeFree (233733)

To visit the website, please click here.

1 comment:

  1. I'm really thrilled to hear about this program you've founded. It's really refreshing to see successful people giving back to their communities. I think this is a great cause, and I hope you see a lot of success with it. http://chamberdirectoryonline.com

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