Around the world, roughly 215 million children toil in child labor; another 21 million people are trapped in forced labor. If these groups represented a single nation, it would be the fifth largest in the world. Governments and businesses both have a critical role to play in eradicating this problem.

That is why today our Bureau of International Labor Affairs launched an important new online resource to help businesses engage in responsible practices. “Reducing Child Labor and Forced Labor: A Toolkit for Responsible Businesses” is a practical, step-by-step guide for companies seeking to ensure that their goods are not made by child or forced labor. The toolkit is the first such guide developed by the U.S. government to directly address this issue.

Global supply chains are complex, and monitoring them can present challenges, but responsible businesses have found effective strategies to tackle this problem head on. By sharing the best available information about what works and what does not, our new online toolkit can help businesses ensure labor and human rights are respected. Whether you’re a business owner or know someone who can benefit from this information, I invite you to learn more at www.dol.gov/ChildLaborBusinessToolkit.

Written by Secretary Hilda Solis