Global Trace Protocol Project

The Global Trace Protocol Project, funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, aimed to increase downstream tracing of goods made by child labour and forced labour. Running from December 2020 to December 2024, with a budget of USD 4 million, the project addressed barriers in supply chain traceability and developed open, accessible, and replicable tools to advance knowledge and scale the adoption of traceability solutions across various sectors.

The project focused on pilot tracing in the cotton supply chain in Pakistan and the cobalt supply chain in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It aimed to produce three main outputs: 1) Increasing the number of tested supply chain tracing methodologies, documenting results, and providing recommendations; 2) Increasing the number of piloted tools for supply chain tracing, developing and publishing tools for stakeholders; and 3) Increasing the dissemination of supply chain tracing tools and methodologies, implementing a communications plan to engage a broad range of stakeholders.

The project sought to address the significant challenge of tracing goods in complex global supply chains, particularly in upstream production activities like raw material extraction and agricultural production. By enhancing traceability, the project aimed to help responsible companies identify and mitigate abusive labour practices and promote transparency and accountability in supply chains.

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