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  • News and media

Business Summit drives action on child safety

The urgency of protecting children in and around business took centre stage last week at the Child Safeguarding in Business Summit.

Bringing together leaders in business, policy, and advocacy, the Summit created a powerful and emotionally charged space where companies were challenged to step up – not wait – in the face of growing child safety risks.

The Summit’s panel featured voices from diverse sectors, each offering vital insight:

  • Dalene Wray AM (OBE Organic® Australian Beef) reminded attendees that industries like agriculture, often viewed as removed from child welfare, carry major influence when it comes to managing exploitation risks in supply chains.
  • Angela Crossland (The GPT Group) urged businesses not to wait for regulatory requirements, but to take the lead by embedding child safety into ESG frameworks and social sustainability priorities.
  • Eilani Scriven (Nauru Airlines) spoke openly about the aviation industry’s opportunity to foster change – not just through policy, but by transforming workplace culture.
  • Shane Britten (Social Protect) highlighted the urgent need for digital responsibility, asking businesses to consider how their platforms or systems may be enabling harm to children.
  • Megan Revitt (University of Notre Dame) added a research perspective, identifying areas where many businesses remain unaware of risks – and how data can guide the next steps forward.

The event also marked a special milestone as Cirka was welcomed into the growing On Us Coalition, joining founding and current members: Westpac, IHG Hotels & Resorts, The GPT Group, OBE Organic® Australian Beef, TBWA\Australia, TikTok, and the Rugby League Players Association (RLPA).

A key discussion focused on the five critical areas where business activities can put children at risk:

  1. Products
  2. Services
  3. People
  4. Supply Chains
  5. Operations

The statistics shared were sobering:

  • 1 in 20 Australian men have had sexual thoughts about children. The vast majority don’t work with children.
  • 63% of Australians experienced some form of child maltreatment growing up – meaning survivors are already in your workforce.
  • 160 million children globally are engaged in child labour.

The message was clear: waiting is not an option.

Because when it comes to protecting children — it’s on us.

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acknowledgement of country and abuse victims
The On Us: Australian Business Coalition for Safeguarding Children acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land and waters across Australia in which we share. We honour and pay our respects to Elders past and present and acknowledge the many thousands of years in which First Nations’ peoples have raised their children to be safe and strong. We also acknowledge the spirit and courage of victims and survivors of childhood abuse, exploitation and violence. Their efforts over many years have inspired our commitment to make changes at every level to better protect the children of today.
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On Us: Australian Business Coalition for Safeguarding Children 2025

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