The Ethical Supply Chain Program (ESCP) is celebrating its 15th anniversary while reaching milestone numbers. The ESCP Worker Helpline has aided 10 million supply chain workers since its inception in 2010 and recently hosted its annual Worker Well-Being Conference in Shenzhen, China, uniting workers, employers, funders, and implementation partners to enhance employee well-being. 

The Helpline is a confidential service. The ESCP has implemented the service with thousands of companies. It is now mandatory for all ESCP Certified Supplier members. The Helpline is also available to non-ESCP member companies as a tailored, standalone service.

“Providing workers with a trusted mechanism to raise their concerns is vital in maintaining a healthy and happy workplace. Over the past 15 years, we’ve seen the Helpline used in a variety of ways,” said Carmel Giblin, CEO and President of the Ethical Supply Chain Program. “From people accessing it to get more information about factory policies and regulations to more serious complaints about management attitudes, withheld wages and to report the use of child labor. We’ve even had people suffering from loneliness use it as a source of human interaction. It’s these stories that make me incredibly proud of this latest milestone and the number of people the service has impacted. I look forward expanding access to our Helplines, increasing protection for workers and delivering insights for their employers that can achieve needed improvement in labor standards.”

The Helpline includes the setup of a dedicated phone line, on-the-ground support to launch the service, and introduction to workers manning it, to earn the trust of workers who would access it. The person-to-person grievance mechanism has resolved 23,000 individual cases, provided counseling, dispensed advice, and aided employees with work and personal issues. 

‘‘Grievance mechanisms can be hugely effective in helping to identify and address issues before they escalate,’’ explains Christina Liu, Product Integrity Manager, Responsible Sourcing at Hallmark Cards. ‘‘Workers can be afraid to raise grievances due to the fear of retaliation or perceived consequences. Working with a third-party provider is a great way to build trust in grievance channels and build better workplaces. This often results in lower turnover rates and increased worker satisfaction as workers feel listened to and cared for.’’