OBO Annual Industry Advisory Group Meeting

The Overseas Building Operations (OBO) renewed its significant commitment to Design for Freedom during its Industry Advisory Group Annual Meeting on Thursday, September 15. The meeting was attended by nearly 500 peers, industry partners, and colleagues from the Architect of the Capitol, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other governmental institutions.

Sharon Prince, Design for Freedom by Grace Farms CEO and Founder, delivered the keynote address about modern slavery in the material supply chain.

View the Design for Freedom Full Report.

Senior Advisor to Director, U.S. Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, Amy O’Neill Richard, and Director at SHoP Architects, Paul Frederickson, joined Sharon for a discussion about slave labor in the built environment.

The mission of the Bureau of Overseas Building Operations is to provide safe, secure, functional, and resilient facilities that represent the U.S. government to its host nation and support the Department’s achievement of U.S. foreign policy abroad. These facilities represent American values and the best in American architecture, design, engineering, technology, sustainability, art, culture, and construction execution.

OBO is the first government owner to commit to eliminating slave labor from the material supply chain. The Design for Freedom keynote presentation reinforces the importance of its commitment and asked those that work and are interested in working with them to commit to designing a more human future as well.