We are members of Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT), and this months newsletter featured UPS, unfortunately I could not find the link on the TAT website.
When a corporation does something really fantastic, all too often no one knows. I am sharing from the TAT newsletter (the italics are mine):
UPS has been named the winner of the 2021 TAT Champion Award in the Organization Category.
Kendis Paris, executive director of Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT), presented the award to Lou Rivieccio, UPS Corporate Transportation president, and Nikki Clifton, president of UPS Social Impact and The UPS Foundation, at a luncheon at the American Trucking Associations Management Conference and Exhibition Oct. 25 in Nashville, Tennessee.
The fight against the injustice of human trafficking is the work of thousands of dedicated and committed people taking place on continents and in countries around the world. Without the support, commitment and actions of the organizations, associations and state agency partners TAT works with, the gains made in the fight against human trafficking in the United States would take a huge leap backward. Each year, therefore, TAT recognizes and honors the outstanding creative, innovative, generous and dedicated efforts of specific partners, whose actions have significantly helped to engage more members of the industries TAT works with, as well as the efforts of more agencies and organizations within their state and the nation, in the fight to end the crime of human trafficking.
UPS began its partnership with TAT in 2016. But, in addition to its work with TAT, which includes being a TAT sponsor at the highest – North Star — level, training more than 100,000 of their drivers, donating over 40 hauls for TAT’s mobile museum to events across the nation, allowing employees to be involved in numerous capacities with TAT on company time to spread awareness of human trafficking and the fight against it and serving on TAT’s Board of Directors since 2012, UPS also uses its influence through the trucking industry to encourage other companies to become TAT trained.
“When we say that UPS is a ‘north star’ partner of TAT, no exaggeration is implied,” explained Paris. “They truly help to guide our work, by marshaling their resources on behalf of counter-trafficking initiatives, providing thought leadership, and supporting their drivers’ changemaking volunteerism. In doing so, they serve as a social-good exemplar to others in private industry, and we’re thrilled to name them our 2021 TAT Champion Award winners!”
UPS has adopted an enterprise-wide anti-trafficking-in-persons policy, which strictly prohibits the use of any UPS assets or resources for any purpose that would enable the trafficking of persons. They partner with the DHS Blue Campaign and teamed up with Wellspring, a Georgia-based survivor’s advocacy program, to provide employment opportunities to survivors of human trafficking.
UPS is also leveraging the power of corporate philanthropy to invest in organizations like the United Way Worldwide’s Center on Human Trafficking and Slavery and the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. That partnership employs a comprehensive and ground-breaking approach which convenes community leaders – including relief and human service agencies, medical providers, local government, employers, advocates, citizens and more – around the singular issue of fighting local human trafficking, in many cases, for the first time. Through this collaboration, they’re identifying needs and gaps at the community level, including housing, services, training and policy.
Additionally, UPS employees have donated more than $5 million toward the Anti-Human Traffick Impact Fund through United Way Center on Human Trafficking and Slavery.
In many public forums and presentations, UPS leadership use the opportunities they’re given to educate others on what they can do to join the fight. A TED Talk given by Clifton, detailing three ways businesses can fight human trafficking and personalize their efforts through their own “special sauce,” has now been seen by more than a million people.
Clifton shared, “Our work with TAT aligns with UPS’s purpose to move our world forward on delivering what matters. We are honored to accept this award and are proud to say that UPS drivers are part of the everyday heroes keeping communities safe by identifying and reporting red flags of human trafficking networks.”
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Thank you UPS and thank everybody who sees something and says something. Lives have value not measured in dollars; but in joy, hope and the fulfillment of dreams. From their contributions to their family and friends, neighborhood and community.
