The GEO Group has always been committed to protecting the Human Rights of the persons entrusted to its care. Recognizing the unique nature of its operations and the significance of its relationships with government agencies, GEO has adopted a Global Human Rights policy.
The policy strengthens our commitment to safeguarding the rights of those entrusted to our care, including inmates and detainees as well as employees, contractors, the communities in which we operate, our suppliers, and our government partners, by fostering a deep respect for human rights across all areas of our operations.
The policy was developed within the framework of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and was revised based on the findings of a human rights due diligence assessment previously conducted by an independent third party involving both internal and external stakeholders, as well as comprehensive research on the subject matter at issue.
GEO, its Board of Directors, and the Board’s Human Rights Committee are responsible for overseeing the implementation and effectiveness of this policy. The Board and the Human Rights Committee annually reviews GEO’s implementation of this policy to ensure it remains aligned with the international human rights standards and stakeholder expectations.
GEO’s Global Human Rights Policy is guided by the following international standards:
GEO ensures that human rights considerations are integrated into all aspects of our operations. A human rights risk assessment and due diligence process shaped our policy. The process identified salient human rights based on the nature of the services we provide. GEO is committed to conducting ongoing assessments to ensure our operations are aligned with ethical standards and respect for human dignity.
Our human rights due diligence followed a four-step process, including active engagement with critical internal and external stakeholders. We used a saliency assessment to evaluate each human right based on scale, reach, probability, remediability, and linkage. These scores were then aggregated to classify issues as “high” and “very high.”
Dignity and Protection: We recognize that persons in our care have inherent human rights and must be treated with dignity at all times. GEO is committed to complying with all applicable laws and regulations regarding the care and protection of those in our care, including freedom of religion and protecting the right to worship.
Use of Force: Use of force is restricted to situations where it is absolutely necessary. The use of firearms is permitted only in cases of self-defense or in cases where there is an imminent threat of death or serious harm to a person.
Safe Environment: GEO is dedicated to maintaining a safe environment free from unlawful physical and verbal abuse, harassment, and sexual misconduct.
Rehabilitation and Education: GEO supports and promotes education, vocational training, and rehabilitative programs to help individuals successfully reintegrate into society. This includes providing access to leisure and legal libraries.
Non-Discrimination: GEO maintains a workplace that is free from discrimination and harassment, ensuring that all employees are treated with respect, regardless of race, gender, age, disabilities, religion, sexual orientation, or other characteristics.
Equal Opportunities: GEO is committed to providing equal employment opportunities, supporting the right to freedom of association, and fostering an inclusive work environment.
Safe Working Conditions: GEO upholds high standards for workplace safety, ensuring compliance with labor laws regarding working hours, fair compensation, and access to benefits.
Human Rights Training: All employees receive training on human rights standards and practices to ensure our policies are implemented effectively in our operations.
No Forced or Child Labor: GEO enforces strict policies prohibiting forced labor and child labor in all GEO operations, contractors, and third-party suppliers.
GEO expects all suppliers and contractors to meet our human rights standards and to be guided by internationally accepted human rights standards and principles consistent with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Failure to comply with these standards may result in terminating contracts or business relationships.
Suppliers and contractors working directly or indirectly on government contracts must be aware of and comply with all the terms of the government contract and act with care in their relationship with the government as detailed in the GEO Group Vendor Code of Conduct.
Positive Impact: GEO seeks to be a responsible corporate citizen by engaging with communities to create a positive social and environmental impact. This includes offering employment opportunities, supporting education and rehabilitation programs, and working with local partners to enhance community welfare.
Environmental Responsibility: We are committed to minimizing our environmental footprint by continuously improving our operational processes to reduce waste and conserve resources.
Law Enforcement: GEO provides support services for government agencies which play a fundamental role in law enforcement making it critical that we promote, respect, and obey the rule of law, as well as the institutions that create and enforce it. We expect that our stakeholders share our commitment to the rule of law, even if they may disagree with specific laws or enforcement priorities.
GEO’s commitment to respecting human rights is reinforced by our Quality Control Program, which includes strict audit processes, reporting requirements, and adherence to accreditation and certification guidelines based on American Correctional Association (ACA) accreditation, Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) compliance and certification and, for the Immigration Processing Centers, the DHS Performance-Based National Detention Standards. Each GEO facility undergoes numerous audit reviews, including annual GEO corporate audits, government agency audits, and third-party inspections. Every GEO facility is subject to regular internal and external audits, and these cover many human rights topics, the details of which are available in our annual Human Rights & ESG Report.
This policy is integrated into GEO’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (Code), which is communicated widely throughout the organization and reinforced through rigorous and ongoing training. All GEO field staff receive a minimum of 40 hours of training per year, including training regarding the Code and Global Human Rights Policy, among others.
GEO, its Board of Directors, and the Board’s Human Rights Committee are responsible for overseeing the implementation and effectiveness of this policy. The Board and the Human Rights Committee annually reviews GEO’s implementation of this policy to ensure it remains aligned with the international human rights standards and stakeholder expectations.
GEO is committed to transparency and stakeholder engagement. We actively seek input from key stakeholders, including employees, government agency partners, community representatives, and the individuals entrusted to our care to continually improve our human rights practices. GEO publishes an annual Human Rights and ESG Report, which includes metrics and other information that can be used to evaluate our long-standing commitment to respecting the human rights of our employees, contractors, stakeholders, the communities in which we operate, and all of the individuals entrusted to our care.