CSR Press Release

This is a periodic publication aimed at informing a broad audience about Verité's innovation and learning in the practice of ethical sourcing and corporate social responsibility. This first report, Strengthening Institutions for Worker Empowerment, focuses on our capacity-building work among civil society organizations (CSOs) - both non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and academic institutions - in China. Integral to Verité's approach to improving working conditions worldwide is collaboration and partnership with local institutions in assessing workplaces; training workers, managers and other stakeholders; and conducting in-depth research. Local CSOs are critical to imbuing labor assessments and remedial programs with a nuanced, deep and accurate understanding of local conditions. CSOs are critical also to ensuring that workers will have local, independent voices supporting and advocating for their interests over the long term. A vibrant civil society is an essential force for holding government accountable for upholding legal and ethical protections for its workers. In China the number and diversity of CSOs is growing, but still small relative to the scale of the social challenges facing the country. The community of civil society organizations that does exist lacks institutional capacity in the areas of labor standards and corporate social responsibility (CSR). The few labor-oriented organizations that operate in China are hampered by limited capacity to deliver the types of programs that are critical to sustaining systemic improvements in labor protections. This issue of Verité Works profiles the first phase of an on-going program of capacity building among CSOs in China. Our goal was to increase the capacity of Chinese civil society to improve working conditions by expanding understanding of labor standards and CSR among workers, NGOs, and other CSOs. The program is equipping CSOs at the regional and grassroots levels, with a focus on provincial universities, with the capability to train and support workers, as well as other members of the CSO community, and to promote labor standards in the workplace. This program is part of Verité's ongoing work in identifying and developing practical and sustainable solutions to illegal, unfair and unsafe working conditions through training and education for all stakeholders.

To read the report click here!

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