Labour

As it was made clear from Anna Bryher’s lecture on workers rights that labourers are always at the receiving end of supply chain disruptions caused by the profit driven industry. The brands limit the suppliers ability to pay their workers despite profits by making the suppliers compete against each other for discounted goods and ongoing business. This compromises the workers basic human needs as they are not paid the living wages. As their basic needs in life are not met they fail to recognize their value beyond the labour and survive on the minimum wages provided to them.

The Nest organisation recognizes this barrier when it comes to artisans and home based workers as they are deeply rooted in social justice and change which has led them to educate the artisans through their Ethical handicraft program.

I believe educating the labourers about this is more valuable as campaigning can lead to change but will not be a long lasting solution for the labourers. Campaigning about these issues does bring awareness about the situation like the recent soup incident with Van Gogh’s painting which was not ideal but did start a conversation and create a buzz.

The problem lies in holding the unstable governments and policy makers of the developing nations as solely responsible for violation of labours rights; however brands yield the most power in the supply chain and should be responsible for their production and labour. Hence there is a need for international accountability regarding this unfairness.

On the progressive side the Nest organisation is bridging the gap between artisans and the supply chain by integrating them in the system and empowering them with network and resources to scale their operation. Over the years they have faced various challenges and based on their experiences they have adapted impactful policies and programs to empower the home based workers and small businesses. It is one of the first organisations which I have seen which works on such a global scale and among vast diverse cultural communities effectively collaborating with the industry leading to favourable gains for both parties.