Example in Action: Worker Engagement Supported Technology (WEST) Principles Highlight Good Practices for Worker Engagement

Increasingly, business entities are finding the traditional pen-and-paper audit process to be cumbersome and sometimes challenging when it comes to the incorporation of worker feedback. To alleviate those issues, groups are turning more to technology, especially mobile phones, to collect worker feedback. Please note that worker feedback can be helpful, but genuine worker voice involves leveraging worker feedback (either through surveys, grievances, union mechanisms, and/or worker-led organizations) so workers can influence decisions about their work. 

One example of worker feedback is the Responsible Business Alliance’s Worker Voice Platform. The RBA developed its worker voice platform, RBA Voices, to help members and their suppliers improve conditions in their international supply chains. RBA Voices gives workers more ways to deliver feedback and provide companies with greater visibility into facilities. Features include a worker survey tool, audit support, a mobile learning app, and grievance reporting. 

For stakeholders looking to understand worker feedback technology more broadly, the Worker Engagement Supported by Technology (WEST) Principles aim to maximize the impact of technology-driven efforts to engage workers in global supply chains. Authored by Humanity United and a group of technology providers (Laborlink, GeoPoll, MicroBenefits, Ulula, and Labor Solutions), these principles offer guidance on how to design and implement technological solutions that identify and address worker abuse and exploitation. The goal of the WEST Principles is to enable stakeholders at all levels of global supply chains, including brands and employers, to benefit from inclusive, secure, and impactful technology that elevates workers’ feedback. There are eight WEST Principles in total; of those, worker-centric design (Principle 2), building trust with workers (Principle 3), and informing decisions and system changes (Principle 7) overlap most with labor concerns. When combined with transparent and accessible grievance procedures (see Grievance Mechanisms) and access to remedy, digital platforms that incorporate the WEST Principles can be useful tools for monitoring compliance.  

To read more about the WEST Principles, visit https://westprinciples.org/start-with-integrity-and-purpose. 

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