What does ETI do?

ETI is a world-leading alliance of companies, trade unions and NGOs working together to advance human rights in global supply chains. Founded in 1998, we bring together over 25 years of accumulated expertise in ethical trade, human rights due diligence and responsible business practice — and we put that expertise directly to work for our members.

At its core, ETI does three things that no single company, consultancy or audit programme can replicate alone.

We connect. ETI's tripartite membership — spanning companies, international trade unions representing over 160 million workers, and NGOs with ground-level presence across the world's most complex supply chains — creates a community of knowledge and credibility that is genuinely unique. When you join ETI, you gain access to perspectives and intelligence that simply aren't available anywhere else.

We build capability. Through our programmes, frameworks, guidance and training, we help member companies develop the operational skills and processes needed to identify, address and prevent human rights risks in their supply chains. Not through a one-off audit or a consultancy report, but through sustained, practical engagement that builds lasting institutional knowledge.

We drive change. Because ETI works across entire sectors and industries — not just with individual companies — we are able to tackle the systemic issues that no company can solve alone. From responsible purchasing practices to living wages to forced labour, ETI convenes collective action that moves whole industries forward.

With a growing wave of human rights due diligence legislation — including the EU's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and anticipated reforms to the UK Modern Slavery Act — the work ETI has championed for decades is becoming a legal requirement. Companies that have been doing this work through ETI are ahead of the curve. For those just starting out, there is no faster or more credible path to genuine progress.

Find out more about what we do
Explore ETI membership
See our Impact report