OCE-C.01.E - Supply Chain Child Labour Elimination Progress
Does the company demonstrate progress towards eliminating child labour in its supply chain?
About the data
The WBA Ocean Benchmark measures and ranks the world's most influential companies on their efforts to halt and reverse nature loss in marine ecosystems, tracking how companies manage their impacts on ocean biodiversity, marine habitats, and the communities and workers dependent on healthy seas. The 2026 edition is WBA's first Ocean Benchmark, assessing 125 companies across key sectors dependent on oceans, including seafood, maritime transport, offshore wind energy, shipbuilding, port operations, apparel, and chemicals. Companies are assessed on 47 indicators across four measurement areas: governance, ecosystems and biodiversity, social responsibility, and core social indicators. The benchmark builds on WBA's Nature Benchmark and the former Seafood Stewardship Index, and its methodology was developed with input from more than 50 stakeholders including ocean communities, companies, scientists and civil society, with human rights and social impacts kept at its core alongside nature-specific concerns. More information can be found here.
Methodology
Accurate statistics on the number of children working at sea are unavailable, but estimates
suggest up to 10 million children may be involved. Child labour deprives them of their childhood,
education and dignity, posing serious risks to their emotional and physical development. It is often
exploitative and dangerous and perpetuates cycles of poverty, limiting future societal growth and
sustainable development. Businesses, particularly those operating in global supply chains, bear the
responsibility to ensure that their operations do not contribute to or benefit from child labour.
Research Guidance:
The company must provide quantitative data on child labour in its supply chain and show a trend of improvement over time. The data should be clear, comparable, and demonstrate progress toward eliminating child labour.
**Quantitative Data**
Types of quantitative data could include:
Percentage of supplier audits where child labour issues were detected
Percentage of suppliers audited in compliance with child labour provisions
Number of incidents related to child labour
**Progress**
To fully meet the element, the data disclosed must be comparable across at least two reporting periods and demonstrate progress. This could include:
Showing a reduction in the number or percentage of incidents where child labour is detected.
Demonstrating an increase in the percentage of suppliers that are in compliance with child labour standards.
Tracking improvements over multiple years to clearly show how the company's efforts are making an impact.
It is not sufficient if:
The company only provides data for a single point in time without showing comparisons or trends.
The data is not connected to a clear analysis of progress or does not indicate measurable improvement in child labour issues
suggest up to 10 million children may be involved. Child labour deprives them of their childhood,
education and dignity, posing serious risks to their emotional and physical development. It is often
exploitative and dangerous and perpetuates cycles of poverty, limiting future societal growth and
sustainable development. Businesses, particularly those operating in global supply chains, bear the
responsibility to ensure that their operations do not contribute to or benefit from child labour.
Research Guidance:
The company must provide quantitative data on child labour in its supply chain and show a trend of improvement over time. The data should be clear, comparable, and demonstrate progress toward eliminating child labour.
**Quantitative Data**
Types of quantitative data could include:
Percentage of supplier audits where child labour issues were detected
Percentage of suppliers audited in compliance with child labour provisions
Number of incidents related to child labour
**Progress**
To fully meet the element, the data disclosed must be comparable across at least two reporting periods and demonstrate progress. This could include:
Showing a reduction in the number or percentage of incidents where child labour is detected.
Demonstrating an increase in the percentage of suppliers that are in compliance with child labour standards.
Tracking improvements over multiple years to clearly show how the company's efforts are making an impact.
It is not sufficient if:
The company only provides data for a single point in time without showing comparisons or trends.
The data is not connected to a clear analysis of progress or does not indicate measurable improvement in child labour issues
License
Topics
Framework Mappings
Value Type
Category
Options
Yes
No
Assessment
Steward Assessed
Report Type
Aggregate Data Report