Blind Spots, Zero-Tolerance Risks + Deep Supply Chain Insights from Worker Surveys in Agriculture
- Jan 8
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 9
A Labor Solutions Case Study
Agricultural supply chains are among the most difficult to assess due to seasonal labor, remote worksites, and informal employment arrangements. These factors limit visibility into actual working conditions, particularly for contract workers and smallholder farmers.
To address these challenges, Labor Solutions partnered with a global food and beverage brand to collect direct input from workers and farmers across multiple agricultural sourcing regions.
Challenge
Limited Visibility in High-Risk Contexts
The company faced several structural challenges common in agriculture:
Limited insight into labor conditions in remote farming locations
Minimal input from seasonal, contract, and informal workers
Reliance on indirect indicators and supplier self-reporting
These constraints made it difficult to identify risk accurately or prioritize remediation.
Identified Gaps
Two key gaps were identified prior to survey deployment:
Undifferentiated data: Existing tools did not distinguish between farmers and workers, masking different risk profiles.
Low worker-voice awareness: Suppliers had limited understanding of worker-voice initiatives, contributing to weak engagement and follow-up.
Solution
Context-Specific, Risk-Based Worker Surveys in Agriculture
Labor Solutions designed and deployed the WELL Survey, a risk-based survey methodology adapted for agricultural labor and local conditions.
The surveys were designed to:
Capture differentiated data for farmers and workers
Identify systemic and zero-tolerance labor risks
Reflect local languages, cultural norms, and labor structures
Approach
Deployment Aligned with Agricultural Reality
To maximize data quality and participation, deployment was designed around how agricultural work actually operates:
Surveys timed with harvest cycles and market days
Delivery in three local languages
Direct supplier engagement to build trust and support participation
Implementation across five countries: Turkey, South Africa, Mexico, Kenya, and Nigeria
Participation and Reach
38,000 total respondents
92% participation rate among workers
87% participation rate among farmers
These response rates provided statistically robust and credible data across diverse contexts.
Findings
Systemic and Zero-Tolerance Risks Identified
Cross-Cutting Risks (All Countries)
Worker surveys in agriculture data identified the following systemic labor risks across both farmers and workers in:
Excessive working hours
Insufficient wages
These findings indicate structural pressures rather than isolated non-compliance.
Localized High-Severity Risks
Survey data also identified localized and zero-tolerance risks:
Debt bondage among farmers, linked to local recruitment and financing agencies
Occupational health and safety risks, including inadequate safety measures
Lack of access to safe drinking water for workers in Mexico
These risks were not previously visible through audits or supplier reporting alone.
Impact: From Worker Data to Targeted Remediation
Survey findings directly informed next steps:
Targeted follow-up assessments in high-risk regions
Remediation actions grounded in worker-verified evidence
Improved supplier understanding of worker-voice mechanisms
Strengthened human rights due diligence aligned with regulatory expectations
By grounding decisions in worker input, the company was able to move from assumed risk to evidenced risk, improving both credibility and effectiveness.
Why This Matters
Listening Where Risk Is Highest: Strengthening Due Diligence in Agricultural Supply Chains
Agricultural supply chains often carry the highest labor risks and the least visibility. This case demonstrates how well-designed worker surveys, deployed at the right time and place, can surface blind spots and enable meaningful improvement.
For Labor Solutions, this work reinforces a core principle: Effective due diligence depends on listening to workers — especially where risk is highest and oversight is weakest.
