Claire Stephens, Vice President Global Client Team, and Pippa Welch, Director of Sustainability at BCD, joined forces with Kay West, Head of Global Agency Sales EMEA at United Airlines, to deliver a compelling onsite training session tailored for commercial team members. The program instructed attendees how to identify and respond to potential trafficking situations.
Session highlights
A21’s ‘Can You See Me?’ campaign: The global campaign uses multimedia to expose trafficking realities in public spaces, including airports like Heathrow, reaching millions and raising critical awareness.
Recognizing real-world risks: Participants explored real-life scenarios demonstrating how traffickers exploit vulnerabilities like economic distress and online manipulation to target potential victims.
Debunking common myths: The session corrected misconceptions about trafficking, emphasizing that it’s not a distant problem but a local and global issue. Insights from the U.K.’s National Referral Mechanism (NRM) data highlighted how modern slavery is identified and addressed nationwide.
Spotting warning signs: Attendees learned practical tips for identifying trafficking indicators such as restricted movement, controlled communication, and missing personal documents, along with guidance on safely reporting concerns.
BCD’s commitment and support: We remain steadfast in our anti-trafficking initiatives by embedding prevention strategies into our daily operations, enhancing supplier education, and strengthening industry partnerships.
A21’s Reach Coordinator Dorothy Mendez summed up the importance of collective action:
“Human trafficking is a crime of contradictions: it’s all around us yet hidden in plain sight. This is why awareness and education are crucial in combatting and preventing it from happening in the first place. This is why we strongly believe in the power of partnership as an organization. Partnership and collaboration across sectors are essential to collectively shining a light on this issue. By learning to recognize the signs of human trafficking and exploitation, we can better respond to potential cases and help identify and reduce the risk of exploitation.”
BCD named a 2024 Top Member by ECPAT
Also in November, we earned the prestigious 2024 Top Member recognition from ECPAT and The Code. ECPAT is the largest global network dedicated to ending child sexual exploitation, with 129 member organizations across 108 countries.
The Code is a set of six voluntary guidelines that travel and tourism companies implement to help combat the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Companies achieving Top Member status must implement all six criteria within their business operations and produce reporting on progress. ECPAT provides ongoing support and guidance throughout the process.
BCD previously was named a Top Member in 2020. We have been a global ECPAT member since 2017 and part of The Code since 2014.
