Supply Chain Workers

Who are the very people who will inform us of the issues that need addressing so we can improve their working environment?

• Cotton pickers, machine operators, production workers, labourers, assembly operatives, truck drivers, hotel workers, customer facing colleagues, migrant workers
• Full and part time employees, interns and vocational workers, even people (mostly women) who work from home and rarely see the light of the factory floor
• Labour or Agency Provider workers crucial to ensure peaks in demand are met
• People often outside of the system and for the large part are illiterate and uneducated
• People vulnerable not just to the things we often bemoan (toxic leaders, unbreakable glass ceilings) but child labour, slavery, discrimination, dangerous working conditions, unpaid work, even routine violence

Until now, no one has given every supply chain worker the chance to share their views of their workplace. And for that reason, buyers are still exposed to risk; suppliers are still cutting corners (or worse); and workers are not being helped.  As we see it, it’s time for a bottom up, straight from the horses’ mouth view of what’s exactly going on.

The key here is mobile. According to a recent report from Ericsson, 85% of the world’s population has access to a mobile phone with voice and text capabilities. India and China are growing most rapidly, followed by Brazil, Indonesia, and Bangladesh. Cotton pickers of the word are cottoning on: for the first time, they can have their say.

We use anonymous, multilingual, web and phone based surveys – completely free to workers – that enable them to play a full and active part. This means that instead of the months (or years) it takes for traditional face-to-face auditors to visit every factory or farm in your supply chain, we can reach EVERY factory or farm, and uniquely survey not just management but EVERY supply chain worker, instantly.

Because our surveys cover compliance as well as CSR, ethical and HR information, they can also  pinpoint issues that often won’t be solved by simply slashing overtime or increasing wages. They can also add benefit back to the supplier – helping them see the link between improved practices and their bottom line. All of which brings us back to everyone’s shared goal of helping supply chain workers. A truly scaleable and value-added solution for all sides.

Of course, we have an ongoing challenge to gain the trust of workers, and reaching everyone in the extended supply chain is tough. But our belief is that by doing so, we can empower buyers and suppliers to work together. At the same time, every cotton picker, farmer and migrant worker who takes our free survey also helps us donate 20p to charity. But not our charity: charities that they pick. For more information, click here.

For more information, call 01908 330242 email [email protected] or download our brochure.