Ensuring organisations treat their employees and those within their supply chain ethically and lawfully is firmly in the spotlight with employers large and small.
The built environment is a high-risk sector for worker exploitation and poor employment practices. There is a huge demand for labour, a severe skills shortage and both indirect and self-employment is common.
“With an increasing number of companies utilising third party labour provided by agencies via umbrella companies and self-employed workers, often engaged at short notice, many workers receive limited or no details regarding the terms of their engagement. With little in the way of written details and a lack of transparency many workers are unaware of basic information such as hours of work, rates of pay or deductions, termination periods and disciplinary processes. The lack of transparency by providers or awareness of individual workers, increased the feeling of vulnerability amongst the workforce.”
Source: Achilles Ethical Employment Trends Report 2021
Organisations should have transparent communication channels available to all employees (direct and indirect) from the earliest stages of engagement. All employees should be aware of their employment rights and fully understand their contract terms and grievance mechanisms in place should they wish to raise any concerns.
Code of Practice: Ethical Employment in Supply Chains
Watch this 4 minute video from the Welsh Government on the Code of Practice: Ethical Employment in Supply Chains. The commitments laid out in the code help ensure that workers in our supply chains are employed fairly.
Wages
Ethical Employment Trends Report 2021
Document/Presentation
15 minutes
Supply Chain Management
Move It: Transportation and Logistics
Video
Working practices
Zero Hour contacts Guide
Web link
Supply Chain Management
Sell it & Service It: Retail Considerations
Video
“11% of companies were unable to demonstrate written terms and conditions of employment that had been issued to workers.”Achilles Ethical Employment Trends Report 2021. Compiled using anonymous data from 1,368 confidential worker interviews and 48 management system audits on construction projects.
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