&Wider - Direct Worker Engagement for Resilient Supply Chains — &Wider blog

How Direct Worker Reporting and Stakeholder Engagement Drive Better Risk Management

Supply chain risks rarely start with headlines — they start with people. A missed wage payment. Unsafe overtime. A broken safety guard. Without direct worker reporting, these risks stay hidden until it’s too late.

That’s why the future of human rights due diligence rests on three pillars: hearing the truth through worker voice monitoring, predicting patterns with tools like RAPT, and driving change through real stakeholder engagement. Together, they don’t just reduce business risk — they protect livelihoods and safeguard dignity.

Beyond Compliance: How RAPT Helps Businesses Anticipate and Act on Supply Chain Risks

Most companies treat risk like a fire alarm, waiting until it rings before taking action. In today’s complex supply chains, that’s no longer enough. RAPT, our Risk Assessment Prediction Tool, helps businesses anticipate risks before they escalate, offering real-time visibility across all tiers and turning compliance into foresight.

Human Rights&WiderAugust 28, 2025human rights due diligence, compliance, purchasing practices

Driving Effective Due Diligence: Reflections from the Omnibus Unpacked Event

What the EU’s Omnibus Simplification Package Means for Human Rights Due Diligence
At the recent Driving Effective Due Diligence: Omnibus Unpacked event hosted by the Responsible Business Alliance, Lea Esterhuizen and Bora Yucel explored how the proposed EU Omnibus Simplification Package could impact the future of corporate sustainability and human rights due diligence. This blog unpacks key takeaways on risk-based approaches, supply chain accountability, and the importance of amplifying worker voice across global operations.

Shaping the Future of Due Diligence: Key Takeaways from the 2025 OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector

At the 2025 OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector, industry leaders, policymakers, and experts came together to discuss the evolving landscape of responsible business conduct. From strengthening human rights due diligence to addressing purchasing practices and supply chain visibility, the conversations underscored the urgent need for action and collaboration. This blog highlights key takeaways from the discussions that will shape the future of due diligence in the sector.

Unlocking Success: Three Tips for Meaningful Human Rights Due Diligence

In our previous blog, we explored the critical choice businesses face between the compliance route and meaningful transformation in human rights due diligence (HRDD). Now, it's time to move from theory to practice. This second instalment provides three essential tips to help you embark on that transformative journey. Learn how to ensure compliance while fostering sustainable growth, enhancing stakeholder relationships, and transforming your supply chain into a resilient and positive force. Dive into actionable strategies that can elevate your HRDD efforts from a mere regulatory exercise to a value-generating initiative.

The compliance route vs. the journey of meaningful transformation: Navigating Effective Human Rights Due Diligence

In today's complex regulatory environment, businesses face increasing pressure to ensure responsible practices throughout their supply chains. This two-part blog series explores practical strategies for effective Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD). In Part 1, we examine the regulatory changes and the choices businesses face between taking a compliance-driven route or opting for meaningful transformation. Discover how to navigate the crossroads between mere compliance and fostering genuine improvement for people and the environment while allowing businesses to thrive.

Beyond Compliance: Collaborating for Ethical Supply Chains

As &Wider grows, we’re focusing on social sustainability and new legal frameworks like the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. We partner with those committed to improving workers' lives through collaboration and data-driven insights. Our clients tackle labour exploitation in supply chains proactively, using worker-sourced data to drive continuous improvement.

Navigating Human Rights Impact: 3 Strategies for Effective Response

At &WIDER, we understand the critical role of data in driving organizational growth and fostering continuous improvement. Our commitment extends beyond just collecting data; we're dedicated to supporting our suppliers and clients in navigating their results effectively, empowering them to make informed decisions and drive meaningful change.

5 ways to win supplier buy-in for your human rights due diligence programme

Engaging suppliers in human rights due diligence can be challenging, especially when they are already managing various compliance requirements. Here's how we, as the &Wider’s implementation team effectively onboard suppliers to take our worker monitoring surveys, to make the process mutually beneficial.

5 questions to gauge your human rights due diligence progress

The EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive has hit a roadblock, but that doesn't mean we hit the brakes on getting ready for human rights due diligence.

Shaping a Fairer Future for Migrant Workers in Global Supply Chains: Reflections on GFRR 2023

We have not gotten the recruitment and treatment of migrant workers in global supply chains right yet. This means that there is also a cultural consensus that there are no heroes , so no one should claim successes.

Human RightsLea EsterhuizenSeptember 4, 2023migrant workers

Unlocking your suppliers’ willingness to engage with workers

Suppliers play a crucial role in driving change and shaping the working lives of workers. However, getting suppliers to willingly sign up to allow worker engagement systems to be introduced can be quite challenging. In this blog post, we will explore strategies to unlock supplier buy-in and interest in the benefits of worker engagement.

Auditing, Human RightsLea EsterhuizenJune 26, 2023worker voice, suppliers, due diligence

Kickstart your human rights due diligence with this 3-step funnel model

I like to describe the human rights due diligence process as a funnel, where an individual brand begins with its entire supply base and uses reliable data and insight to assess which parts of its supply chain warrant deeper due diligence.

So you want to listen to the workers in your supply chain? 3 questions to guide your responsible sourcing strategy.

Giving attention to the intent of listening to workers helps ensure that the organisation will take thoughtful action with this feedback.

How can appreciation help with building sustainable supply chains?

What tools do you already use for worker engagement? What policies do you already have in place to encourage responsible sourcing, and what interventions have worked in the past? Building on those strengths offers you a new strategic direction and more willing stakeholders to make it happen.

Direct Worker Reporting and Worker Voice Technologies - how are they related?

We conduct Direct Worker Reporting for our clients. What then is the difference between Direct Worker Reporting and Worker Voice Technologies?

Auditing, Human Rights, SustainabilityLea EsterhuizenMay 7, 2021worker voice, technology, data

European Human Rights Due Diligence Laws: The German addition

The net is closing on companies who don’t pay attention to human rights due diligence in their supply chains. What does this means for companies operating in Europe?

Human RightsTristan EdmondsonMarch 15, 2021due diligence, german, european

Three ways to use Direct Worker Reporting (aka Worker Voice)

Where does Direct Worker Voice fit into your responsible sourcing strategy? We run through three major ways you can incorporate Direct Worker Reporting to your responsible sourcing programme for maximum impact and value.

From compliance to impact: a call to measure what matters

Many brands are capturing data in their supply chains and are eager to talk about impact. But social impact is radically different from social compliance. What does that impact look like? And how can we build and measure it over time?

How to shift your company from risk mitigation to opportunity

Disclosure requirements around the world are increasingly becoming the new norm, but they are rife with references to risk: how do you overcome this and move beyond risk mitigation toward impact?

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