Migrant laborers have long been subject to opaque networks of recruiters and agents, making them extremely vulnerable. And as more laws are introduced to combat human trafficking, the plight of migrant laborers has become a priority for many global supply chains. Led by ARCHE Advisors’ migrant labor specialists who each have at least a decade of experience in investigating migrant labor issues, we offer a series of services that help companies understand and mitigate compliance risks in the face of an evolving landscape of legislation and public awareness.
Training
We can help in-house teams and supplier partners understand the legal responsibilities surrounding migrant labor and identify warning signs and risk areas. Our trainings are based on insights taken from our years of field work in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, The Americas, and Europe, as well as policy and legislative consultations on the issue.
Research and Advisory
By its nature, information gathering on migrant labor is difficult. Our experienced research teams can uncover and prioritize the areas of greatest risk with a combination of supplier mapping, competitive benchmarking, and legal research into international agreements on labor and sending/receiving country legislation. We regularly advise Fortune 500 corporate compliance teams on policy and program responses to mitigate these risks.
Field Work
Migrant labor exploitation happens under the cover of convoluted networks of recruiters and agents. Our field staff investigate the full ecosystem surrounding these networks — across sending and receiving countries — to ensure migrant workers are granted their rights in the hiring, recruitment, termination, and repatriation processes. We also work directly with factories to mitigate specific problems and reform migrant labor policies and practices.
Program Review
Risks are most prevalent in the worker recruitment process, long before a worker arrives at a factory. Thus, standard social audits do not have migrant labor issues within their scope. We can review a client’s standard social audit program and look for ways to incorporate small tests to flag potential issues for deeper investigation.