How do companies criticised for children’s rights violations still manage to score highly on your benchmark?

The apparent contradiction between some companies scoring highly in the Global Child Forum benchmark while also being criticised for children’s rights violations such as poor responsible marketing practices or child labour found in their supply chain, can be attributed to several factors:

Public Reporting vs Private Operations: the Global Child Forum benchmark is based on a company’s own reporting (in English) across the various indicators that we measure, and does not portend to be an audit of compliance.

Companies that have had high exposure to children’s rights risks, tend to report more because of public pressure.

Improved Practices: Some companies with a history of child rights violations may have made efforts to address and rectify these issues. They may have implemented more responsible practices, improved supply chain management, or adopted stronger marketing guidelines. These efforts could lead to higher scores in assessments, even if past violations were widely criticised.

PR and Greenwashing (or Child Rights Washing): There is no doubt that some companies might prioritise their public image and use irresponsible marketing practices to improve their reputation. They may implement token measures that appear to support children’s rights but do not address the core issues or implement substantial changes. However, this is a risky practice that is often revealed under public scrutiny, and often forces companies to take a more serious approach to communicating transparently.

Limited Scope: The Global Child Forum benchmark, like many assessments, may have a specific scope that focuses on certain aspects of child rights and overlooks others. A company could perform well in areas that are assessed while still having shortcomings in other child rights-related practices.

Varied Stakeholder Opinions: Assessments often rely on the perspectives and priorities of the organisations conducting them. Some stakeholders may place more emphasis on a company’s commitments and policies, while others may focus on real-world outcomes and impacts on children’s rights. These differing perspectives can lead to varying assessments.

Ongoing Challenges: Addressing child rights violations and ensuring responsible practices throughout the supply chain can be complex and ongoing challenges. It is possible for companies to improve their practices in some areas while still grappling with issues in other parts of their operations.

Regardless, our benchmark serves to underscore the importance of comprehensive and transparent evaluations that consider multiple dimensions of a company’s child rights performance, and the company’s ongoing efforts to address these issues.