When the focus shifts to workers and the HR tools (engagement surveys, whistleblowing hotlines, exit interviews etc) and channels of delivery (mobile or web) coalesce, and when buyers share suppliers who also share the same risks, the opportunity arises for brands – and suppliers – to share the solutions.
Collaboration Mining enables brands to improve the labour and ethical practices of overlapping supply chains without compromising commercial sensitivity. Reaching suppliers in nearly every country, it affords collaboration on:
- Scale – For buyers with vast and complex (tier 1-2-3) supply chains, it helps them scale their HR auditing solution to go as far upstream as they need to
- Cost – For buyers with overlapping supply chains, it helps them share the cost of reaching out to workers who work on everyone’s production lines
- Insight – For buyers who share scale and cost, it helps them share the analytical insights
- Action – For buyers who identify common problems, it ensures common action can also be taken (which itself helps cut down on costs and whose effectiveness can be measured and shared)
- Influence – For buyers big or small, it helps them stand together to ensure their collective approach and message is clearly understood by suppliers – and workers
Yes, we recognise that there are different priorities, budget constraints, commitment to existing projects and alternative strategies, and that buyers are not always ready to work together at the same time. But working with many brands we have put together a uniquely flexible programme which allows buyers to dive right in at the beginning of a project or jump in when they are ready. We work with early adopters to get the initiative up and running; centrally coordinate the project to ensure anonymity and confidentiality is protected in line with agreed parameters; and happily onboard new buyers when they are ready.
There are many benefits to Collaboration Mining – here’s 10:
– Helps buyers in the same industry who share overlapping supply chains and shared issues work together
– Helps buyers share the cost and insights to ensure they – and their suppliers – benefit
– Helps buyers start at the beginning or enter projects at a later date without losing out
– Helps buyers work together to ensure labour standards are met and the risk of brand damage is minimised
– Helps shift the buyer/supplier relationship to a more transparent and open partnership
– Helps buyers provide cost-effective and sustainable solutions across their entire supply chain
– Helps buyers target shared training and other capacity building initiatives
– Helps capture quantifiable data 24/7/365 and provide insight to inform and manage risk more effectively
– Helps send a collective brand message to suppliers that bad practices will not be tolerated
– Even helps suppliers work with other suppliers who share the same issues
To learn more about our 2013 Collaboration Mining activity, including projects in various countries and regions (China, Bangladesh, India, Europe – UK & Turkey, South America and South Africa); in various industries and sectors (garment, homeware); and using various tools (from helplines to spot fire safety issues to capacity-building initiatives); call us on 01908 330242 or email [email protected]
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