Episode 319: New Report on Prison Labor Abuses Could Cause Major Headaches For Large Brands

The Working Lunch

This week, the Associated Press published the results of a two-year investigation into alleged exploitation of prison labor, primarily in the agriculture industry. The report not only documents the food production process, it follows the products through the supply chain and names retailers, grocery stores, industry suppliers and even some QSR brands that “benefit” from prison labor. We talk about the possible ramifications for brands both outside and inside the company. And some Republican Agriculture Commissioners are turning up the heat on ESG, pushing back on companies that are pursuing climate goals. Could these “pro-business” elected officials be intentionally putting brands in a legal bind where complying with federal and California law puts you in violation of their laws? We’ll take a look. We’ll talk about that and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.