Enlightened self-interest should spur business support for migrants, argue Mary Robinson and Aron Cramer
For the business community, labour migration has become a
pressing question that affects numerous decisions around the globe.
Increasingly, it is important for businesses to think about migration
not just in terms of the bottom line, but also in terms of how they can
contribute to migration policies and practices that protect fundamental
human rights.
In places such as South Korea, Japan and Taiwan, migrant workers from
Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and other nations are often
disadvantaged, and sometimes legally unable to defend their rights.
Nearby, in China, one of the largest internal migrations in recent
history has seen millions of people, many of them young women, move
from rural China to the boomtowns of coastal China, making them
increasingly vulnerable to abuses ranging from unsafe work conditions
to discrimination and sexual violence. In Europe, the enlargement of
the European Union is simultaneously being credited with raising
overall economic wellbeing while also threatening economic and social
stability. And in the US, the mistreatment of guest workers in sectors
such as agriculture and services continues to raise serious concerns.
But why should business be more engaged in protecting the rights of
migrants and in working with governments to foster more humane
migration policies? There are three main reasons.
Let’s start with self-interest. Business will always seek to attract
the highest quality employees to deliver products and services with
greatest value at a reasonable cost. The free movement of people ensures
that marketplace principles prevail in workforce development. Open
borders, and open societies, provide the ideal operating environment
for business.
A second reason is the fast-changing role of business in society. It
grows clearer by the day that attention to responsible business
practices is necessary to build and maintain public trust. Companies
cannot make good on their commitment to corporate responsibility
without looking at their opportunities to promote humane migration
policies and to protect the rights of migrants in their direct
operations and supply chains.
The third reason is the private sector’s unique capacity to promote the
smooth integration of new populations into receiving societies. At its
best, business is able to knit diverse communities into a single
entity, with a common sense of purpose.
In Los Angeles in March, leaders from business, government and the
community met to explore the challenges and opportunities migration
presents for business, building on two similar events held in
Johannesburg and London. The findings will be submitted in July as part
of a new intergovernmental forum on international migration and
development. We hope these discussions will pave the way for more
active and principled engagement in the future and build a common
understanding of business’s common purpose.
Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, is the founder and
president of Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative.
Aron Cramer is President and CEO of Business for Social Responsibility.
