The Y, in partnership with the Australian Childhood Foundation are establishing a cross-sector business led initiative to drive action on child safeguarding across Australian businesses and improve outcomes for children and young people.

With funding from Westpac Group’s Safer Children, Safer Communities program, the initiative will bring together key decision makers and influencers from organisations that may not directly work with children and young people, but which may impact upon their rights and safety through their products, services and operations. Several leading Australian businesses have already indicated their intention to join.

The need for a child-safe culture within Australian businesses is a community priority, as noted in a recent consumer poll:

• 5% disagreed or strongly disagreed that, Australian business already give enough consideration to how their organisations can impact on vulnerable children.

(Source: Forethought, Australian Childhood Foundation Consumer Poll 2022)

More and more there is an expectation that business address key risks and impacts on the human rights and wellbeing of the most vulnerable in society.

This includes statutory expectations to embed the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations and the eSafety Commissioner’s Safety by Design principles as well as taking action to prevent child sexual abuse and exploitation through customers using financial platforms, technology and/or child labour across supply chains.

It is evident that child safeguarding should be part of any company’s commitment to an ESG framework, enhancing its potential value to investors and other important stakeholders.

If you or your business would like to learn more about the Childsafe Business Initiative, please contact Brigette McGuire, National Executive Manager, Australian Childhood Foundation at bmcguire@childhood.org.au.