MILWAUKEE, Jan. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN), the world leader in innovative workforce solutions, recently helped launch two End Human Trafficking Now! (EHTN!) initiatives, which are designed to educate businesses on preventing against acts of human trafficking from entering their organizations and supply chains.

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Geneva University, in partnership with EHTN! and ManpowerGroup, has staged a competition for students to submit papers on human trafficking and its effects on businesses. Students enrolled in a Swiss university during the academic year 2011-2012 are eligible to enter. Papers may be written by one or more students and should be submitted in either English or French to award@ehtn.org. The competition will run until close of business on 30 June 2012.

Second, the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT) and EHTN! have developed a Microsoft-sponsored Internet eLearning course for business leaders, managers and employees. It improves understanding of how to both identify where human trafficking might occur and minimize the risk.

"ManpowerGroup's long-standing commitment to this issue involves increasing awareness across the business world of how traffickers can infiltrate an organization's supply chain," said David Arkless, ManpowerGroup President of Corporate and Government Affairs, EHTN! Board President and Ambassador for the UK's Centre for Social Justice and an Advisor on their Anti-Slavery Report. "By collaborating across industry sectors, corporations have made great strides in preventing trafficking from occurring, but the process of identifying where traffickers get an advantage never ends."

ManpowerGroup stands for the right for every individual to work in safety and with dignity. Human trafficking has invaded every world region. At risk, is the growing number of untrained and underemployed youth. To enable safe and productive futures for tomorrow's workforce, ManpowerGroup works to provide job training and career options through a range of global initiatives. Last week at the White House, ManpowerGroup was among roughly 50 organizations and the only company in its industry honored for helping train youth with relevant skills and providing them with jobs. Through partnerships with Microsoft, local Workforce Investment Boards, One-Stop Career Centers and Junior Achievement, ManpowerGroup has advanced the career prospects of countless youth worldwide.

ManpowerGroup is also the lead sponsor for the Row For Freedom crew team enroute to Barbados from the Canary Islands. Five women are raising awareness of human trafficking by rowing 3,000 miles on a former African slavery route. Learn more about the Row For Freedom and ManpowerGroup's fight against human trafficking here. http://manpowergroup.com/social/trafficking.cfm

Human trafficking is the second-largest and fastest-growing illegal industry in the world behind the drugs trade. With an estimated 27 million people (half of them children) being trafficked each year, this is an industry that generates $30 billion annually. Contemporary slavery takes various forms and affects people of all ages, sex and race today and across the world products such as cotton, leather goods, tobacco, rubber and cocoa are still being produced using child labor or forced labor.

ManpowerGroup is dedicated to working with and supporting vulnerable groups in society, such as those who continue to be trapped in modern-day slavery. The company was the first to sign the Athens Ethical Principles, a doctrine that mandates a zero-tolerance policy on working with any entity affiliated with human trafficking.

About ManpowerGroup

ManpowerGroup™ (NYSE: MAN), the world leader in innovative workforce solutions, creates and delivers high-impact solutions that enable our clients to achieve their business goals and enhance their competitiveness. With over 60 years of experience, our $22 billion company creates unique time to value through a comprehensive suite of innovative solutions that help clients win in the Human Age. These solutions cover an entire range of talent-driven needs from recruitment and assessment, training and development, and career management, to outsourcing and workforce consulting. ManpowerGroup maintains the world's largest and industry-leading network of nearly 3,900 offices in over 80 countries and territories, generating a dynamic mix of an unmatched global footprint with valuable insight and local expertise to meet the needs of its 400,000 clients per year, across all industry sectors, small and medium-sized enterprises, local, multinational and global companies. By connecting our deep understanding of human potential to the ambitions of clients, ManpowerGroup helps the organizations and individuals we serve achieve more than they imagined — because their success leads to our success. And by creating these powerful connections, we create power that drives organizations forward, accelerates personal success and builds more sustainable communities. We help power the world of work. The ManpowerGroup suite of solutions is offered through ManpowerGroup™ Solutions, Manpower®, Experis™ and Right Management®. Learn more about how the ManpowerGroup can help you win in the Human Age at www.manpowergroup.com.

ManpowerGroup is the most trusted brand in the industry, being the only company in our industry to be named to the Ethisphere Institute's 2011 World's Most Ethical Companies list for our proven commitment to ethical business practices, including an outstanding commitment to ethical leadership, compliance practices and corporate social responsibility. In addition, ManpowerGroup has also been recognized as the industry leader by Fortune magazine, who named the company in first place on its 2011 list of the Most Admired Companies in the temporary help sector.

In January 2011, at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, ManpowerGroup announced the world has entered the Human Age, where talent has replaced capital as the key competitive differentiator. Learn more about this new age at www.manpowergroup.com/humanage

Gain access to ManpowerGroup's extensive thought leadership papers, annual Talent Shortage surveys and the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, one of the most trusted indices of employment activity in the world, via the ManpowerGroup World of Work Insight iPad application. This thought leadership app explores the challenges faced by employers navigating the changing world of work and provides in-depth commentary, analysis, insight and advice on strategies for success.

Follow ManpowerGroup Chairman and CEO Jeff Joerres on Twitter: twitter.com/manpowergroupjj. Joerres is one of only six Fortune 500 CEOs who leverages a Twitter account to get his message out.

SOURCE ManpowerGroup