310 – What’s the Best Way to Equip Business Leaders?

This episode is brought to you by Vanguard University and the Global Center for Women and Justice, who offer an incredible anti-human trafficking certificate. Whether you're a frontline responder, a social worker, in the ministry, a healthcare provider, or simply a community member who wants to help, this program is built for you. Head over to gcwj.org/ahtc to take the next step and apply today. ---Dr. Sandie Morgan is joined by Kirsten Foot and Kenneth Andrew as the three discuss the role of Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST) in equipping businesses with the tools and resources necessary to end trafficking. Kirsten Foot Kirsten Foot, PhD, is the CEO and Executive Director of Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST) which equips employers to counter human trafficking, and provides pathways to safe employment for trafficking survivors. BEST offers employers video based and in-person training services, consulting on anti-trafficking strategy, and advisement on communicating about human trafficking with employees, customers, vendors and the public. Kirsten Foot was also a guest on Episode #111 of the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. Kenneth Andrew Kenneth Andrew, is Vice President for global, small, medium, and channel partners with Microsoft Advertising, and his career has taken him to many parts of the world. He seeks to leverage his abilities to drive positive change in the business world and beyond. As a member of BEST Board of Directors since 2018, he helps businesses interrupt and prevent human trafficking. Key Points Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST) plays a critical role in equipping employers to counter human trafficking, providing training through both video-based and in-person training services. BEST aims to prepare employers to not only identify and understand trafficking, but interrupt it safely. Employers are also provided with communication strategies for discussing trafficking in the workplace. Situational awareness is an integral part in the process of interrupting trafficking. BEST strives to encourage employers to take effective action and ask those who might be victimized the important questions that allow them to disclose what they might be facing. Resources Ensure Justice BEST Episode #111 – Collaborating Against Human Trafficking Uyghur Anti- Human Trafficking Prevention Act California Supply Chain Transparency Act BEST Training Center Transcript Sandra Morgan 0:00 It’s time to register for the annual Ensure Justice Conference at Vanguard University’s Global Center for Women and Justice. The conference is always the first Friday and Saturday of March, that way you can make it a recurring event in your calendar! 2024, It’s March first and second, we’re just a couple of months away. Our theme is Keeping Our Children Safe Online. We will explore the issues; What is happening online? What are the risks for our children at this stage of their development? What can we do as parents, caregivers, teachers, community members? Our speakers include many of our podcast expert guests, and we are partnering with our Orange County Department of Education. Check out our website for more info and don’t miss the early bird rates. Go on over to gcwj.org/ensurejustice. Right now, there is a virtual option for our global listeners, as well as special rates for college students. Join us to study the issues, be a voice, and make a difference at Ensure Justice, March 1st and 2nd, 2024. You’re listening to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. This is episode #310: What’s the best way to equip business leaders? My name is Sandie Morgan and this is the show where we empower you to study the issues, be a voice, and make a difference in ending human trafficking. It is so great to have Kirsten and Kenneth from BEST with us today. Kirsten Foot, PhD, is the CEO and Executive Director of Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST) which equips employers to counter human trafficking, and provides pathways to safe employment for trafficking survivors. BEST offers employers video based and in-person training services, consulting on anti-trafficking strategy, and advisement on communicating about human trafficking with employees, customers, vendors and the public. She was also my guest on Episode #111 of our podcast. Her colleague Kenneth Andrew, is Vice President for global, small, medium, and channel partners with Microsoft Advertising, and his career has taken him to many parts of the world. He seeks to leverage his abilities to drive positive change in the business world and beyond. As a member of BEST Board of Directors since 2018, he helps businesses interrupt and prevent human trafficking. I am so glad to welcome both of you to the show today. Kirsten Foot 3:46 Thank you, Sandie. Kenneth Andrew 3:48 Glad to be here. Sandra Morgan 3:49 Kirsten, it’s been quite a while since we’ve been together, but we used to hang out a lot, maybe not in person, but particularly online and on the phone. I especially remember when we recorded episode #111 because your amazing research and book on collaboration came out at that time, and I’m just curious how you moved from writing and research in the academic world, to being a nonprofit CEO. Kirsten Foot 4:30 It’s a recent change, it’s one I’m still catching up in all different levels psychologically, but I am motivated to be leading BEST of all things, because BEST does what I have been advocating through my research for over 15 years now. BEST works across sectors, across the private sector, public sector, the nonprofit sector, to catalyze much more strategic, effective interaction between organizational leaders, against human trafficking. So after months of hearing about BEST’s search for a new CEO, literally three invitations in I realized, I really should consider applying, and so I did. Kenneth could tell you more of the story since he’s on the board, but I realized through a very rigorous interview process that BEST was incredibly well organized, and highly effective, and that I would really have joy in helping multiply its efforts and lead it in its new stage. I’m just four months in, but I’m loving it, and I see all kinds of potential for the kinds of things that BEST can do, and I want to help that happen. Sandra Morgan 5:40 I’m eager to see the application of the principles in your book on collaboration, which we still use in our anti-human trafficking certificate courses here at Vanguard. So we appreciate your knowledge, your insight, and now we’re going to watch you as you lead in this new sphere, so congratulations. Kirsten Foot 6:06 Wow, thank you. Sandra Morgan 6:07 Kenneth, as a board member of BEST, you’ve been in this for a while, you also represent the business community in many ways....