Every company interacts with children in some way: as consumers, as employers of their parents and caregivers, and through the way in which business operations affect a child’s society and environment.

When it comes to safeguarding children within the business sector and understanding the ways in which it affects children’s safety, health, development and wellbeing, there is a long way to go.

UNICEF Australia, together with Ethical Partners Funds Management, has undertaken a benchmarking exercise of the S&P/ASX 200 (Australian Stock Exchange), and other companies to:

1. Understand the attention to child rights across Australian listed companies
2. Provide best practice guidance from UNICEF experts on how companies can better consider children’s rights.
3. Stimulate further engagement with ASX companies on how they could better consider their disclosures, policies and practices regarding children’s rights

This research was undertaken with the hope of deepening the conversation between investors and ASX listed companies about the impact of companies across the ASX on children and their rights, and how these can be better understood, assessed, disclosed and protected.