Labor and Human Rights

Labor and human rights has become one of the most important issues supply chains face today. Companies are being held accountable for all issues that arise, no matter how far up the supply chain. 

There are two leading international labor organizations: The International Labour Organization (ILO) & The Fair Labor Association (FLA) who aim to protect and improve workers’ rights throughout supply chains. 

Introductions of each organization is included below.
1. “The International Labour Organization (ILO) is devoted to promoting social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights, pursuing its founding mission that social justice is essential to universal and lasting peace” (ILO Mission). The ILO is a U.N. agency that brings together governments, employers, and workers representatives of 187 member States to set and enforce labor standards – which include core standards specific to Freedom of Association, Child labor, Forced labor, and workplace Discrimination. In short, economic development is not undertaken for its own sake but to improve the lives of human beings; international labor standards are there to ensure that it remains focused on improving human life and dignity. Click here to learn more about labor standards.

2. “The mission of the Fair Labor Association (FLA) is to combine the efforts of business, civil society organizations, and colleges and universities to promote and protect workers’ rights and to improve working conditions globally through adherence to international standards” (FLA Mission). Companies that join the FLA commit to ten Principles of Fair Labor and Responsible Sourcing (and/or Responsible Production) and agree to uphold the FLA Workplace Code of Conduct in their supply chain. Click here to view the Principles & learn more.

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Any child forced to work under the age of 15 years is a violation of fundamental human rights which has been shown to hinder children’s development, potentially leading to lifelong physical or psychological damage. It perpetuates poverty across generations by keeping children of the poor out of school and limiting prospects for upward social mobility. 

​The ILO estimates that 169 million children worldwide are in child labor (almost 11% of the entire child population), 98 million of which account for the agricultural sector.

Forced labour can be understood as work that is performed involuntarily and under the menace of any penalty. It refers to situations in which persons are coerced to work through the use of violence or intimidation, or by more subtle means such as manipulated debt, retention of identity papers or threats of denunciation to immigration authorities. Otherwise known as modern-day slave labor, ILO estimates show that 20.9 million people are victims, 18.7 million of which are exploited in the private economy.  

Vietnam: 89% of factories violate overtime laws. Often to meet production quotas to squeeze certain price points imposed by the buyers in efforts to compete for the lowest costs.