Global brands operate their responsible business programmes to ensure that the manufacturing units in their supply chain comply to the local and international labour standards. The local conditions at times pose several challenges that seem chronic.
In North India region, the practice of informal employment of piece rate workers in garment industry was a big challenge for a Global Footwear & Apparel brand. The Piece rate workers were usually employed 'off the records & deprived' of their legally mandated benefits & labor rights. The factories often responded that even when they want to formalize the piece rate workers' employment, workers resist and no amount of trainings & guidance work.
The Brand decided to use the learnings from social development sector where communities are mobilized and organized to a common cause effectively.
iMentor proposed Behaviour Change Communication strategy aimed at addressing the existing behaviour pattern of the workers to get a desired behaviour pattern.
The 'primary audiences' in the project were the unregistered workers employed in the factories and the 'Influencing audiences' were the factory owners and the managers/supervisors who employ workers. The process adopted for project implementation included a series of planned activities such as Formative Research with factory management and workers, Communication Strategy design, Development of communication kit, Orientation to factory owners on the project, training of trainers, series of workshops with workers, use of communication reminders. The workers were involved throughout the process.
Total 913 workers participated in the project. Almost 95% of the workers who attended the series of workshops expressed their willingness to opt for formal employment and to participate in social security schemes. And a total 90.14% of total participating workers actually got registered under the mandatory social security schemes.