FWC ~ Fair Working Conditions

INDIAARTISANAL FABRIC PRINTING

Human rights assessment of a rural textile printing co-op specializing in traditional dye techniques, artisan skills, and hand-based processes. The small village-based operation fell outside the purview of the Indian Factories Act yet obtained 20% of its annual revenue from exports to well-known garment brands in Europe and the UK. Production capacity at the time was around 2,500m of coloured fabric per month. The local FWC team spent four days on location on behalf of a potential US buyer as part of the client’s pre-procurement HRDD process.

WEST AFRICAOIL & GAS

A challenging 12-month human rights assessment of working and living conditions at multiple offshore oil and gas platforms, ships, and vessels, operating along the western coast of the African continent. The assessment encompassed multinational groups of seafarers and land-based support staff, as well as auxiliary personnel from subcontractors, agencies, and labour suppliers. FWC engaged on-site and via desktop at all crew levels with a culturally and linguistically diverse supply chain while measuring standards against a complex array of laws and conventions – from the Maritime Labour Convention, the UN Convention of Laws of the Sea, to flag state employment laws.

CHILERURAL ROSE HIP HARVESTING

A residential review of seasonal wild rose hip harvesting in southern Chile. The activity is traditionally conducted by extended family groups working in remote areas in the Andean foothills. While entirely unregulated by local authorities, the seasonal harvest is an important source of income for small rural communities who sell their collections to local processors who, in turn, trade the produce internationally. The local FWC team shadowed three family groups over one week before presenting a human rights assessment report to a major European retailer.

SUDANHIBISCUS FARMING COMMUNITIES

FWC spent two weeks at seven Sudanese villages where local people own generational plots of lands ranging in size from five to twenty hectares. Most holdings are located nearby the villages, but some are so remote that entire families camp out for a month or more during harvest season. Due to a lack of financing or credit options, villagers cannot fully exploit the full agricultural potential of their individual land holdings with hired professional help. Hibiscus farming is, therefore, a family undertaking whereby all family members, typically led by older women, participate in the harvesting of crops.

MAURITIUSMIGRANT LABOUR

Mauritius is a hub for migrant factory workers from India, Bangladesh, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. FWC was commissioned to conduct a field investigation into reports of de facto forced labour as the result of illegal practices such as exploitative recruitment agent fees in employee countries of origin and passport retention by employers. Our team gained access to migrant workers in factory accommodation blocks at three different locations, giving a voice to real people working in isolation away from home, resulting in an uncensored, eye-opening, findings report.

PERUARTISANAL HOMEWORKERS

A capacity building project with small home-based community groups that produce artisanal goods from alpaca hides and wool for retailers in the US and UK. All products are handmade, whereby hides are washed and treated using natural elements before crafting. FWC was tasked with helping ten family-run businesses develop basic but practical safety-at-work programs that could be implemented in unregulated informal work environments.

VIETNAM‘THREE ON SITE’ FACTORY LOCKDOWNS

An investigation of factory lockdowns at the height of the Covid pandemic. To sustain national production and export levels, the Vietnamese government approved emergency measures allowing factories to establish transitory accommodation facilities in the place of work. Subsequently at least 500,000 employees began a ‘3-on-site’ program (‘three’ being eat, sleep, and work on-site, 24/7). While adhering to Covid testing, distancing, and PPE regulations, the practice nonetheless made for testing working conditions, including employees sleeping at workstations and in carpark tents.

ON-SITE FOR INSIGHT