Pricing and lead-time pressure in the Vietnam garment industry has prevented many Better Work worker-management committees from effectively remedying labor problems, which has led to more worker strikes to address them.
Swedish firms prioritize auditing suppliers where switching would be costly, from whom they purchase the most, and located in countries perceived as high risk.
International businesses can reduce workers’ exposure to adverse physical and psychosocial work conditions by including workers’ voice in factory-led monitoring systems.
Factory managers tend to underestimate the perceived value of factory health services, air quality, and temperature on worker life satisfaction, which highlights the importance of incorporating worker feedback into audit program design.
Apparel suppliers that adopted lean manufacturing reduced excessive overtime, more accurately calculated and paid worker wages and benefits.
A case study of an Indian supplier finds that paying factory workers a living wage improved product quality, worker productivity, and worker satisfaction.
Better Work Indonesia facilitated greater factory compliance with local laws in geographies where worker unions are stronger and for laws where state regulators clearly interpret how factories should implement them.
Supply chain audits are more accurate when conducted by women, when auditors are new to the factory, and when brands pay rather than the audited factory.
Among garment factories participating in Better Work Cambodia, unionized factories exhibit better hours, wages, and leave standards.
Unionized factories in Indonesia subject to buyer codes of conduct tend to have stronger collective bargaining agreements and respond better to worker grievances.
