How the WELL Survey Uncovered Hidden Risks Missed by Audits in Over 50 Electronics Suppliers Background A multinational electronics company deployed the WELL Survey across more than 50 suppliers that had already passed traditional social audits. The goal was to compare audit findings with direct worker experience. Client: Global electronics company Locations: 50+ Tier-1 and Tier-2 suppliers across China, India, Vietnam, Romania, Malaysia ++ Tools Used:  WELL Survey deployed via the WOVO Engage Dashboard Goal: Validate audit results and obtain an accurate, worker-driven view of human rights risks. The Challenge: Despite Positive Audit Results, the Brand Suspected Gaps in Visibility Inconsistent grievance channels across suppliers Low worker trust in existing reporting mechanisms Audit interviews failing to capture systemic recruitment fee issues A need for “between-audit” visibility and validation of real-time risk   Our Solution: Deploy the WELL Worker Survey Labor Solutions implemented a worker-centric, globally consistent human rights survey tailored to regional risks. Key solution elements included: WELL Survey deployed across 50+ suppliers Standardized core indicators for comparability Localized indicators for region-specific risks Experience-based questions workers understood and trusted Full deployment support across all countries Real-time analytics using the WOVO Engage Dashboard Results: The WELL Survey revealed significant issues that audits had entirely missed. Despite strong audit performance, the WELL Survey exposed systemic risks that audits had failed to detect in almost every supplier. Workers at 35% of suppliers reported illegal recruitment fees, despite passing audits 27% of suppliers showing low worker engagement, driven by unclear or mistrusted grievance channels Previously undiscovered issues including: Fear of retaliation Inaccessible grievance systems Supervisory misconduct Localized risks in working hours, recruitment, and harassment These insights enabled the brand to quickly identify high-risk sites, develop targeted remediation plans, and shift from audit-only compliance to continuous, worker-informed risk visibility.  The brand was able to: Identify high-risk sites within days , not months Launch targeted remediation plans faster Compare risks across regions and supplier levels Provide suppliers with actionable insights backed by worker dat Why the WELL Survey Worked: Key Success Factors  Global Consistency + Local Relevance: One Framework, Country-Specific Insights  The WELL Survey provided a standardized global structure covering core human rights topics—health & safety, access to remedy, harassment & abuse, and worker engagement—while allowing tailored indicators based on regional risks:  Working hours focus for China  Responsible recruitment for Malaysia and Romania  Working environment and supervisory conduct for India  This combination ensures comparability across countries and actionable insights within each region.  Worker-Centric, Industry-Refined Questions: Revealing the Reality Behind Compliance  Experience-based Questions Unlike audits, the WELL Survey uses:  Neutral, experience-based questions  Clear language tailored to frontline workers  Scenario prompts that help workers reflect on real experiences  This approach encourages authentic, accurate feedback, revealing issues that often go unreported during interviews.  Deployment Support That Ensured High Engagement + Powered True Insights  Labor Solutions delivered full implementation support across all 50+ suppliers , ensuring: Consistent rollout Strong worker participation Representative data across multiple countries WELL Survey Deployment Support Implementation Steps Conducted onboarding with each supplier in local languages Customized survey modules by country (working hours, recruitment etc.) Launched WELL Survey simultaneously across all regions Collected worker responses anonymously through QR codes. Analyzed data via WOVO Dashboard and built heatmap visualizations Shared supplier-level insights with the brand for remediation pl Real-Time, Actionable Insight Through WOVO Dashboard The brand’s team accessed results instantly via the WOVO Dashboard , enabling them launch surveys simultaneously across multiple countries and languages  to gain immediate visibility into: Priority issues across countries Visualize risk levels through a supplier heatmap  Compare priority issues across sites and regions  Share insights directly with suppliers for follow-up  This enabled action plans within days , not after the next audit cycle. Immediate Impact + Remediation Using worker-level insights that were previously inaccessible, the brand has decided to conduct supplier self assessmentss and action plans. This project demonstrated that even well-established audit programs can miss systemic, persistent issues and reaffirmed that worker-driven data is essential to effective, modern due diligence.  Interested in exploreing The WELL Survey for your Organization?

Listening to Workers Isn’t Optional — It’s a Supply Chain Strategy   New research by Dylan Nelson and Nathan Wilmers at MIT  offers something rare in the labor space: causal evidence  that worker voice pays off. Their study, Earnings Effects of Direct Worker Voice in Production  (May 2025) , finds that when manufacturers actively use worker input in production decisions , three things move in the right direction: Productivity increases Earnings increase Turnover decreases For brands facing HRDD and CSDDD expectations, this isn’t a niche social outcome.It’s a core supply chain capability .   Worker Voice Creates Performance Gains You Can Feel Downstream   Source: Mandiri Abadi, 2022 Nelson & Wilmers show that moving from low to high use of worker input is associated with productivity gains of up to 15%   (Table 3, pp. 19–20). That’s not symbolic. In practice, higher productivity means: Fewer last-minute production crises More stable output and fewer quality dips Better ability to manage bottlenecks and shifts in demand When factories operate more smoothly, downstream partners feel it: Fewer surprises, fewer fire drills, more predictable supply. Worker voice doesn’t just improve the shop floor — it improves the flow . Worker Voice Is Now Evidence — Not Just Engagement   From “Engagement” to Evidence Under HRDD and CSDDD, the question is no longer: “Do you have a grievance mechanism?” It is: “Do workers trust it, use it, and does it change outcomes?” Audits can’t answer that. Worker-generated data can. In the Nelson & Wilmers study, workplaces that integrate worker input into decision-making show: Higher earnings  (Table 2, p. 18) Lower turnover  (p. 13) Stronger operational performance  (Table 3) These are exactly the signals regulators, investors, and brands look for when they ask whether worker voice is real  or just on paper. Worker voice becomes not only a practice — but proof .   A Functioning Voice System Shifts Power, and That’s the Point   One of the most important findings is that wage gains persist even after controlling for productivity  (pp. 19–20). That means the earnings effect is not just “workers produce more, so they earn more.”It reflects a shift in bargaining power : When workers’ knowledge becomes indispensable, Their ability to influence outcomes increases. This is precisely the kind of structural change that many due-diligence frameworks aim for: workers who can assert rights, shape outcomes, and negotiate remedy  because the mechanism works , not because an audit checked a box.   Voice Without Use Is Noise. Use Is What Matters.   Channels Don’t Matter If They’re Not Used. Nelson & Wilmers make a critical distinction: It’s not the existence of a mechanism that matters — it’s whether worker input is actually used  in decisions. Many systems collect data but never close the loop.Workers speak. Management listens (sometimes). Nothing changes. The study shows that when worker voice becomes: An operational tool , not a performative channel A regular input  into planning and problem-solving …both productivity  and earnings  rise. For brands evaluating supplier maturity, this is the key question: Are workers’ insights shaping decisions — or just filling reports?   Workers See What Audits Can't. Worker Voice Is Your Earliest Warning System Audits see the past .Workers see the present . Frontline workers are usually the first to notice: Deteriorating conditions Abusive supervision Wage inconsistencies Safety shortcuts Bottlenecks and inefficiencies When factories rely on structured worker feedback to make operational decisions, these signals are: Captured early Interpreted in context Acted on before they become non-compliances That is real-time risk mitigation  — and often the most cost-effective kind.   High-Voice Factories Are High-Value Partners   Taken together, the study describes a particular kind of workplace: More productive More stable With higher retention  and higher wages For brands, these are the facilities that tend to: Deliver more consistently Manage volatility better Absorb shocks more effectively Require fewer corrective action plans In other words: worker voice is not a social add-on. It’s a management competency. And in global value chains, good management cascades .   The Strategic Takeaway: Worker Voice Is a Capability, Not a Program  Nelson & Wilmers give empirical backing to what many practitioners have seen in practice: When worker voice is real, factories perform better and workers do better. For brands, that means worker voice should live in: Sourcing strategy Risk management HRDD and CSDDD reporting Supplier selection and performance criteria This is exactly where Labor Solutions works. WELL  helps brands and suppliers measure worker experience and trust at scale. WOVO  helps assess whether grievance mechanisms are trusted, used, and effective , not just in place. Improve  turns worker feedback into structured action plans , so suppliers can own and demonstrate progress. The study doesn’t just validate “listening to workers” as a principle.It validates it as a capability  — one that can be designed, measured, and scaled. Listening to workers isn’t good PR.It’s good operations  — and the brands that require it will be the ones better positioned for resilience in the decade ahead.

The WELL Survey Most supply chain engagement and risk management is top-down, causing duplication, resistance, and misalignment. With governments, consumers, and investors demanding greater supply chain transparency , accountability, and proof that companies are protecting workers’ rights, having effective strategies and tools to engage with workers is more important than ever. Whether for forced labor bans, Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD)  laws, or to comply with other standards for ethical and responsible business, global businesses must now demonstrate both that they understand risks and also that they are taking steps  to mitigate, remedy and prevent harm to workers.  The WELL Survey (Worker Wellbeing, Engagement, and Livelihoods)  is designed to help companies meet this moment, with a tool focused on hearing worker perspectives, aligning the interests of suppliers and customers, and creating actionable insights that lead to real improvement in workers’ lives.  Listening to Workers, Driving Change Worker Voices Drive Results At the heart of responsible supply chains lies one simple truth: trust and communication create lasting change  and better outcomes for workers. Building trust and communication is also the heart of Labor Solutions’ approach. The WELL Survey uses experience-based questions  that encourage open, honest feedback from workers, listening to their perspectives rather than using them against their employers .  Our worker-centered approach results in reliable data because there are no wrong answers, and no pitting workers against their employers. When workers feel heard, they engage. When suppliers listen, they improve. When customers support, they improve resiliency and become leaders.  The WELL Survey transforms worker voices into actionable insights, empowering companies and suppliers to strengthen relationships, reduce risks, and improve worker wellbeing regardless of industry or supply chain tier. Comparable and Credible Data Built through collaboration with leading global companies and experts, the WELL Survey’s standardized indicators  enable cross-industry and cross-country aggregation with evidence-based scoring bands . Indicators are groups of questions about one specific topic or issue that help to provide a multi-dimensional understanding of all of the aspects of that issue. Single questions alone can be misleading or taken out of context, but indicators provide a reliable way of holistically understanding worker experiences of an issue. Choose our Core WELL Indicators, or a mix of Core and Risk-based indicators that best reflect by seeing differences in the survey and indicator scores year-on-year, changes in worker sentiment that indicate issues with wellbeing and rights in the workplace are clear.   Clear, Actionable Insights Companies that deploy the WELL Survey receive in-depth reports that include:  Employee Net Promoter Scores (eNPS)   Demographic breakdowns and insights (including by role, self-identified gender and tenure)   Key Indicator Scores   Year-on-year comparisons   Areas to focus on for support and improvement   These insights help companies measure progress, demonstrate compliance with human rights due diligence   obligations, and communicate how risks are being managed confidently to stakeholders and regulators.  Ongoing Relevance The WELL Survey will evolve as workplaces and risks do. Through regular updates, the tool remains aligned with emerging global standards and real-world challenges from gender equity and mental health to climate change and labor migration. This ensures the survey stays relevant, enabling continuous improvement rather than one-off assessments.  In doing so, the WELL Survey helps companies move beyond compliance, embedding responsibility and resilience into supply chain operations.  Recognition for Commitment Each year, workplaces participating in the WELL Survey can earn the WELL Seal,  a mark of transparency and commitment to worker wellbeing. The seal shows customers, partners, and investors that they are not only monitoring worker wellbeing and working conditions but taking action to improve it .  The WELL Survey seal is a tangible way to communicate leadership in ethical supply chain and worker engagement.  Accessible across Geographies Inclusive and Accessible Worker voices matter everywhere - and language should never be a barrier.  The WELL Survey is Multilingual , covering every language that workers in global supply chains speak and read fluently, with expert translation and local adaptation to ensure understanding and comparable answers. This ensures that all workers, regardless of geography, literacy level, role or background, can share their experiences confidently and confidentially.   Building Better Workplaces, Together By transforming worker surveys  into a tool to build trust and active worker feedback in global workplaces , the WELL Survey provides the foundations for companies to proactively identify risks, remedy issues, and strengthen wellbeing across the entire supply chain.  With the WELL Survey, companies like yours can take an evidence-based, risk-based, and worker-centered approach to building better workplaces  - where listening leads to learning and learning leads to lasting impact.  Want to learn more or receive information on how to deploy the WELL Survey?

When Workers are Heard, Workplaces Improve.  For over a decade, Labor Solutions has been building tools to give workers a voice and help organizations act on collected data. Today, we’re proud to launch The WELL Survey (Wellbeing, Engagement and Livelihoods Survey) - a smarter, more adaptable way to capture and understand workers’ experiences across global supply chains. This worker engagement survey doubles as a digital worker wellbeing survey and workforce listening platform, helping brands capture worker voices at scale. Workplaces Thrive When Workers Thrive. Leading the Future of Worker Surveys Across industries regulators, investors and consumers are demanding greater supply‑chain transparency and ethical operations. Europe’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and other emerging human‑rights laws make it clear that companies must protect workers’ rights. Co-Created, Trusted and Used Globally The WELL Survey is the result of collaboration across the industry. Contributors and early adopters include adidas , H&M , Decathlon , carter's , Lake Advisory , and others. Together, we’re streamlining surveys, strengthening worker trust, and enabling cross-industry comparisons. Its functions as a supply chain worker survey and labor rights survey tool is ideal for human rights due diligence worker surveys and ESG due diligence surveys that benchmark conditions across countries. By combining a standardised core with optional modules and "build‑your‑own" questions, it provides global comparability with local relevance. Built for Global Benchmarks and Local Impact The survey’s modular design enables cross‑industry collaboration and reduces duplication. Organizations can start with a fixed set of standardized questions - The WELL Core Questionnaire - on themes like safety, pay, wellbeing, equality and more. To focus on local needs, locally relevant indicators - such as grievance mechanisms, recruitment or fair working hours - or up to three custom questions for specific risks or priorities, can be added. The WELL Survey is a workplace wellbeing monitoring solution that scales from a factory worker feedback system to a multinational program. Because each indicator is a fixed grouping of questions, results remain comparable across users and suppliers. Experience-based questions build trust and uncover real issues Turning Insights Into Action Worker Voices Drive Results: Experience-based questions encourage open, honest feedback. Ongoing Relevance: Biannual updates ensure the survey reflects workplace realities. Recognition: Participating workplaces earn the annual WELL Seal, demonstrating their commitment to worker wellbeing. All surveys are multilingual, ensuring accessibility and comparability across diverse regions. Organizations receive in‑depth reports featuring indicator rankings, employee Net Promoter Scores (eNPS), demographic breakdowns and year‑over‑year tracking - turning worker voices into actionable insights. These are best practices for worker engagement surveys and highlight how to collect worker feedback digitally in ethical supply chains. Ready to Lead with Worker Wellbeing? The WELL Survey offers a structured way to listen, measure and improve. Whether your goal is regulatory compliance or genuine worker wellbeing, this tool gives you the data and benchmarks to drive meaningful change. To learn more or deploy the survey, visit The WELL Survey website and join the movement to create better, safer workplaces. Workplaces Thrive when Workers Thrive.

September 5, 2025 – Singapore  – Labor Solutions is proud to announce the promotion of Lordiclaire (Lordi) Suriawinata  to Chief Operating Officer (COO) . Lordi has been an integral part of Labor Solutions for more than a decade, consistently demonstrating exceptional leadership, strategic vision, and deep commitment to the company’s mission of empowering workers and businesses worldwide. Lordiclaire Suriawinata, COO Over the past 10 years, she has played a pivotal role in driving operational excellence, leading critical projects, and expanding and developing Labor Solutions’ product offerings. Known affectionately as the “WOVO mama,” Lordi has led the platform’s growth from zero users to millions, transforming it into a trusted tool for worker voice and engagement. She is admired not only for her results-driven approach but also for the support and collaboration she extends to peers and team members. In her new role as COO, Lordi will oversee Labor Solutions’ Product, Technology, Implementation, Operations, and eLearning teams, as well as day-to-day operations. Her leadership will ensure the company continues to scale effectively while maintaining the high standards and innovation that define Labor Solutions’ work. “Lordi’s dedication and vision have been instrumental in shaping Labor Solutions into what it is today,” said Elena Fanjul-Debnam, CEO of Labor Solutions. “We are confident in her new role as COO, she will continue to drive growth and strengthen our impact. I am proud to have her as a partner in leadership.” “Lordi is such a sharp and innovative leader, but what makes her truly stand out is how she balances that brilliance with incredible organization, communication, and empathy,” added Bijie Li, SVP at Labor Solutions. “I have no doubt she’ll take Labor Solutions to even greater heights as COO!” “After ten years at Labor Solutions across multiple roles, I’ve seen how vital frictionless operations are to serving our teams, strategy, and business goals,” said Lordi Suriawinata, COO of Labor Solutions. “I’m honoured to step into the COO role—expect fewer handoffs, clearer ownership, and faster value across every team and project.” Labor Solutions is fortunate to have such a dedicated and visionary leader helping to shape its future. About Labor Solutions Labor Solutions partners with global companies to empower workers, improve workplace communication, and build scalable, sustainable solutions for worker engagement. Its innovative platforms, including WOVO, are trusted by companies and millions of workers around the world.

The EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) requires companies to engage individuals or groups whose rights or interests are, or could be, affected by their operations—this clearly includes workers in global supply chains. To meet this challenge, many leading brands are partnering with Labor Solutions to implement scalable, tech-enabled worker engagement tools. These tools not only connect companies directly to workers but also generate actionable data to strengthen human rights due diligence efforts. adidas is leading by example, using WOVO by Labor Solutions to engage workers directly, strengthen due diligence, and drive measurable improvements across its supply chain. In adidas’ 2024 Annual Report , the company outlined their comprehensive and impactful approach to using WOVO to engage workers as part of their due diligence and improvement process. Scalable worker engagement across the supply chain adidas has deployed WOVO across 100% of its strategic Tier 1 supplier facilities, reaching over 400,000 workers in 105 manufacturing sites across 16 countries. WOVO is a key component of adidas’ worker engagement strategy. The annual report explains how adidas leverages WOVO’s grievance mechanism and worker survey features to ensure “workers can voice concerns, complaints, or grievances related to material risks and impacts – as well as the full range of human rights and labor rights risks that workers in the upstream value chain may face.” WOVO also allows workers to access critical digital training on safety and wellbeing. A trusted grievance mechanism adidas has built a robust and reliable grievance system to ensure workers across its supply chain have accessible, trusted channels to guarantee “ access for workers in the upstream value chain to seek remedy.” Central to this system is WOVO’s operational grievance management platform , which is required at all Tier 1 supplier facilities. According to adidas’ 2024 Annual Report, WOVO is "highly effective" and "trusted by workers" throughout the supply chain, evidenced by the “consistent, widespread”, “sustained usage" and "the high volume of cases received through the app.”    adidas closely monitors worker engagement with performance metrics to “evaluate the efficacy of the grievance channels, see major cases in real time, and undertake timely interventions where necessary.” “We are attentive to worker concerns and issues and continuously review and assess the feedback received through the WOVO platform...“It helps us understand the main challenges and labor rights issues... and undertake timely interventions where necessary.”— adidas 2024 Annual Report The annual report highlights several WOVO outcomes used by adidas as key impact and engagement measures: 35,700 worker grievances submitted through WOVO 9% Utlization Rate of the grievance System 99% resolution rate by year-end 76% satisfaction rate , up from 39% in 2019 Response time under 12 hours , down from 49 hours in 2020 Proactively listening to workers: Worker Surveys To complement its grievance channels, adidas conducts Worker Pulse surveys via the WOVO Engage platform —a tool that enables the company to efficiently gather insights into worker sentiment and awareness without needing to launch separate systems or standalone initiatives. These short, digital surveys are conducted twice a year across all strategic supplier factories and focus on critical workplace issues such as communication, harassment and abuse, and the effectiveness of grievance mechanisms. The survey includes six key statements, with workers asked to rate their level of agreement. Topics include, comfort speaking up or raising complaints, confidence in talking to supervisors and willingness to recommend the factory to friends. The results indicate a strong and growing trust in workplace systems and culture. Since 2020, favourable responses across all questions have increased steadily—from 78% in 2020 to nearly 90% in 2024. In 2024, 46,000 workers participated in a Gender Equality Survey to help advance adidas’ understanding of workers’ experiences using a gender lens. By using WOVO to deploy surveys, adidas is able to seemlessly launch worker surveys at a moments notices, ensuring worker voice is not only continuously captured, but easily scalable and repeatable—helping the company monitor progress, track sentiment trends, and strengthen accountability throughout its supply chain. Real-time data for better due diligence adidas uses WOVO not just for engagement, but for strategic decision-making. WOVO data feeds into adidas’ human rights due diligence systems and internal social compliance performance scores. The data allows adidas to identify gaps in supplier practices, policies, and broader human rights due diligence systems. This feedback loop strengthens adidas’ ability to monitor, anticipate, and proactively respond to potential labor risks—making due diligence a living, dynamic process rather than a reactive compliance exercise. Making worker engagement a supplier KPI: Turning engagement into accountability adidas doesn’t stop at collecting worker data—it builds accountability into its supplier relationships. All strategic suppliers are required to implement WOVO, ensuring each has a robust and standardized worker engagement system in place. To measure success, adidas incorporates “measures such as resolution and satisfaction rate of workers’ grievances and participation rate in workers satisfaction surveys” into its supplier key performance indicators. This makes worker engagement not just a value, but a measurable standard of supplier performance. Worker engagement as a strategic asset + a cornerstone of due diligence adidas’ success with WOVO offers a blueprint for brands navigating today’s complex regulatory environment. It shows how digital grievance mechanisms, when fully embedded into compliance frameworks, can: Meet international expectations under laws like CSDDD Improve real-time visibility into factory conditions Build a more responsive and rights-respecting supply chain For adidas, WOVO is more than a worker engagement tool—it’s an accountability system that gives workers a voice, empowers suppliers to improve, and keeps the brand at the forefront of ethical business practices. The result is a more responsive, resilient, and rights-respecting supply chain—where worker insights directly shape better outcomes for people and business alike. As regulatory pressure grows and expectations for responsible sourcing rise, brands like adidas show that investing in worker engagement isn’t just a legal obligation—it’s a strategic advantage.

Addressing a Critical Need in Chemical Safety Training   The electronics industry relies on complex manufacturing processes, many of which involve hazardous chemicals. Without proper training, workers and supervisors may not fully understand the risks, leading to unsafe conditions and long-term health hazards. Recognizing this urgent need, the Clean Electronics Production Network (CEPN) , in collaboration with industry leaders, worker rights organizations, and manufacturers, set out to create a comprehensive, industry-specific chemical safety training program .  As the eLearning development partner, we worked alongside CEPN, Electronics Watch, ICRT, and other stakeholders to transform technical safety content into an engaging, accessible, and practical digital training solution . Our mission is to ensure that this training effectively reaches and empowers workers and supervisors in electronics supply chains worldwide.  A Worker-Centric Approach   Unlike traditional compliance training, this program puts workers at the center, with a dual focus on both frontline employees and their supervisors. Key features include:  Real-World Relevance  – Scenarios and strategies drawn directly from electronics manufacturing.  Role-Based Learning  – Training tailored for both workers and supervisors.  Collaborative Development  – Built with input from multiple stakeholders to ensure credibility and practical application.    How We Built It   We designed the program for flexibility, interactivity, and impact:  Collaborative Content Design  – Developed with subject matter experts, labor groups, and factory managers.  Flexible Delivery  – Offered in three formats:  In-person   Live webinars   SCORM-compliant digital modules  (launching August 2025)  Interactive & Inclusive  – Includes engaging interactions, case studies and multilingual support.    Tested and Refined in the Real World   The training was piloted in Vietnam and Malaysia from November 2024 to January 2025. Feedback from these sessions helped refine the final program. Early outcomes showed:  Greater worker and supervisor confidence  Improved hazard reporting  Seamless training platform integration for better tracking    Now Live: CEPN Chemical Safety Training   The program is now officially available. It covers key topics like hazard identification, emergency response, and worker engagement, and will be available from June 2025 in Chinese, English, Filipino, Malay, Thai and Vietnamese languages with additional languages offered upon request. CEPN is also expanding its trainer network, with Train-the-Trainer sessions planned for August 2025 . Facilities implementing the training may be publicly recognized for their commitment to worker safety.    For companies looking to enhance their worker safety programs, this training represents a powerful and practical tool . We are proud to have played a role in its development and continue to support organizations in integrating it into their LMS platforms and workplace safety strategies .  Want to bring this training to your organization?    Contact us today to learn how we can help.

As new legislation like, CSDDD comes into effect, global companies work to implement new and upcoming human rights due diligence policies and practices, it is essential to place workers at the centre. The intent of the laws is to protect workers and what better way to protect workers than engaging workers.  A Worker-Centric Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) approachplaces the well-being of workers at the forefront of supply chain management.   Supporting Suppliers, Protecting Workers   The Worker-Centric HRDD approach represents a paradigm shift in how we conceptualize and implement corporate responsibility within supply chains. At its core, this approach empowers suppliers to take ownership of human resources practices and processes within their own facilities, and prioritizing the rights and well-being of workers.   The scale of the challenge is huge. Without engaging suppliers in the solutions, global companies will be unable to meet the expectations of the new laws.    Key Components  1. Worker-Centric Focus   The cornerstone of this framework is its commitment to listen to the needs and voices of workers. By prioritizing the rights and dignity of workers, companies and suppliers can create a culture of respect and empowerment throughout the supply chain.   The Worker- Centric approaches requires engaging workers throughout the entire process.  This starts with educating workers on their rights and extends to engaging unions and worker representatives in the remediation of grievances. This approach requires companies think about workers needs and perspective first.     2. Supplier Engagement    Unlike traditional top-down approaches to corporate responsibility, this framework requires supplier engagement. It focuses on competencies, rather than issues. This fosters accountability and encourages proactive engagement in addressing human rights issues. Trust is key for both workers and suppliers to be successful. If suppliers think worker feedback will be used against them, they will supress worker voices—making workplaces unsafe. Its key that suppliers are trusted and that trust is passed down to workers.    Every supplier will begin in a different place. This multilevel framework operates as a guide for suppliers to elevate their operations through strategic planning, implementation, and empowering engagement. It focuses suppliers on building competencies and systems with the hope of building trust that cascades throughout the workplace and supply chain. The goal is to ensure suppliers are constantly engaging workers, seeking feedback and acting on that feedback.    3. Collaboration and Transparency   Central to the success of this approach is collaboration and transparency among all stakeholders. By fostering open communication and sharing best practices, companies can collectively work towards more ethical and sustainable ecosystem. Brands should track suppliers’ progress and ensure open dialogue is active and ongoing. When workers stop trusting their employer, brands should be concerned and intervene.    4. Continuous Improvement   The journey towards a truly ethical supply chain is never-ending.  The Worker-Centric HRDD approach emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement, encouraging companies and suppliers to regularly assess and refine their practices to better protect workers' rights.   The Worker-Centric HRDD approach offers a forward-thinking solution to the complex challenges facing modern businesses. By prioritizing the rights and well-being of workers and fostering collaboration among all stakeholders, companies can build more resilient, ethical, and sustainable supply chains for the future. Embracing this framework is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic imperative for businesses seeking to thrive in a rapidly evolving global landscape.   Contact us for more information

Since 2021, Labor Solutions has partnered with Decathlon and over 100 suppliers to deploy the worker engagement and wellbeing survey ( EWB ) first developed by Nike and now deployed across multiple brands. The survey addresses six areas: 🛠️ Skills Development 💬 Communication 😰 Stress at Work 💸 Remuneration 🏥 Health and Safety 🤝 Social Connection Employee engagement is essential to continuously improve working conditions in production. Not only are engaged workers more likely to feel physically and mentally secure, but having an engaged workforce is proven to fundamentally shift overarching business and social issues such as compensation, overtime, and workplace conditions. For Decathlon, worker engagement and wellbeing is part of a program aimed at making partner suppliers autonomous in their human risk management. Worker surveys provide management with the information they need to make effective decisions. Lilian Meyer , Partner Autonomy Programme Leader at Decathlon says, “employee engagement is essential, if we are to continuously improve working conditions in production. Thanks to our suppliers’ self-assessment of their human risks and this new survey tool, we and more importantly our partner suppliers have a 360-degree view of worker well-being on site, thus making it possible to define areas for improvement.” When starting the program Decathlon wanted to ensure partners implemented scalable technology platforms which included other tools besides worker surveys to ensure the longevity and sustainability of the program. Decathlon also placed supplier long term autonomy at the center of their program, requiring functions like, the ability for suppliers to add their own questions to surveys. Labor Solutions’ ethos and fit well with Decathlon’s goals. Once WOVO is implemented at a site, management teams can add additional tools to support other goals, like communication, engagement and education. At the center of Labor Solutions’ success is our approach to collaborating with suppliers. Worker voice and engagement are all about trust and trust starts with how a project is introduced. Labor Solutions adapts to each supplier’s situation to offer individualized assistance (Internet access, smartphones, languages spoken by employees, etc.), guaranteeing confidentiality and easy access for respondents. Following the survey, Labor Solutions works with management teams to understand the results and then to design and manage a one-year improvement plan based on the survey results. Some facilities choose to take additional steps to better understand results and develop regular engagement routines, like working with Labor Solutions to conduct focus group discussions (FGD) or implementing the WOVO Connect feature to get daily feedback from workers. WOVO’s survey tool allows suppliers to own and view their survey process and data – with the freedom to add survey questions, drive deeper into results, deploy using the best method for their facility and address risks as they arise – all while giving brands a birds-eye view of what’s really going on in their supply chain. This project has been interesting to work on, “the results are different per factory and each facility chooses to work on something different, but it is always driven by worker feedback. Management is engaged because they’ve never had this type of data before and are curious to learn more,” said Bijie Li, SVP of Client Services. The program is ongoing, surveys are conducted annually and improvement plans are evaluated and updated based on results. Labor Solutions and Decathlon continue to partner and hope to reach more suppliers by 2025. Beyond Surveys Our work didn't stop with surveys, we worked with Decathlon's suppliers on a host of improvement activities from in-depth surveys, training and creating action plans. Each supplier needs different follow up support and Labor Solutions flexible tool kit and advisors have supported suppliers in their journey to have quality systems that support and engage workers.  Start Empowering Your Partner Facilities Labor Solutions’ tools and services are designed to engage, connect, and educate workers across global supply chains by empowering suppliers to own human rights data and address risks as they arise. Whether you are starting with any scale supplier employment project – we tackle all challenges big or small – get in touch with our team at info@laborsolutions.tech .

Labor Solutions supports Puma’s Human Rights, Women’s Empowerment and Worker Engagement strategies in 6 countries, Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Philippines, Turkey and Indonesia. In 2024, Puma continued its worker engagement programs via WOVO. Now   nearly 65K workers have access to the WOVO platform with access to human resource tools, grievance management platform, worker surveys and eLearning  modules.   Grievance Mechanism Puma uses employs several grievance mechanisms, including WOVO, to connect with workers to reach over half a million workers in 97 factories, 165,101 workers in Tier 1 and core Tier 2 factories. Puma received over 2,500 feedback messages directly from workers.    Worker Survey Puma's worker survey questionnaire includes questions on "fair compensation, stress management, employee- employer relationship, grievance mechanism, dignity and respect, workers' engagement, working hours, health and safety and how friendly the work environment is." The average worker' overall satisfaction rate remained consistent at 4.14/5 in 2024. Worker eLearning Puma also expanded deployment of the Better Work e-learning course on Discrimination and Elimination of Violence and Harassment at Work via Labor Solutions’ mobile app WOVO to support their women's empowerment stragety. The module was deployed to over 14,000 workers in Cambodia and Indonesia and reached 86% of workers in eight core Tier 1 factories. Read more about Puma’s Sustainability initiatives in its 2024 Voluntary Sustainability Report.