The Ansell 100 shareholder campaign will propose resolutions at it annual general meeting (AGM) on November 9 calling for remediation and justice for more than 200 Bangladeshi Mediceram workers in Malaysia that were caught up in modern slavery in Ansell’s glove former supply chain.
The Migrant Welfare Network has been calling for accountability in Malaysia and Bangladesh for Mediceram workers (which supplies ceramic formers for Ansell) saying that the bad treatment of migrant workers is a global issue.
The Stop Modern Slavery in Ansell’s Supply Chain campaign has criticised Ansell for its poor prevention of modern slavery and forced labour and its lack of remediation in its vast personal protection equipment (PPE) supply chain. Ansell is an Australian PPE manufacturer.
The campaign wants Ansell shareholders to push for ethical supply chains, and stronger accountability and transparency.
Shareholders are being asked to support three resolutions at the AGM: Establish a compensation fund for Mediceram Workers; Strengthen Ansell’s human rights diligence processes in accordance with international standards; Call on Ansell to publicly support the strengthening of the Modern Slavery Act; and for directors’ bonuses and performance payments to be weighted against improvements in reducing modern day slavery in its supply chain.
According to Ansell’s 2025 Annual report, Hostplus is the third largest owner of its shares. Hesta and Australia Super are also shareholders. Trade unionists who invest in these pension schemes are being made complicit in this insidious modern day slavery system of supply chain exploitation. The campaign wants industry funds to fulfill their environmental, social and governance commitments by supporting the resolutions.
The Public Sector Industrial Global Union (PSI) has become one of the latest to join the campaign. Ballarat Trades Hall Council declared its support for Mediceram workers at the end of last year. Since then the Australian Nursery and Midwifery Union (ANMF) has also signed on.
Jiselle Hanna, Community and Public Sector Union Victorian branch secretary, moved PSI’s motion at the Oceania PSI conference, July 29-31. It was seconded by Emma Chandler, representing the United Services Union.
PSI Oceania said it is concerned about reports of modern day slavery in Ansell’s supply chain. The union said it was alarmed at reports that hundreds of Bangladeshi migrant workers are being forced to work in a Malaysian factory.
Other trade unions, including the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) and the Australian Workers Union, have been supporting a monthly action against Ansell, organised by Community Defence Marshalling System group, in front of the Ansell Office building in Richmond, in Naarm/Melbourne. It is pushing for the Ansell AGM to be shut down and wants the Bangladesh workers formerly employed by Mediceram to be compensated.
Jason Farrow, an organiser with the MUA, has told the monthly protest about the bad treatment of workers on the luxury ship Carnival and AWU organiser Dave Swan has given details of the same bad treatment of workers in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme.
Ansell could become a gold star operator by taking modern slavery more seriously in its supply chains.
[Get in touch with Ron Guy at ansell100agm@gmail.com if you would like to join the campaign.]