New course for retailers and brands – homeworkers in global supply chains

We have launched a new interactive training workshop for British retailers and brands working in supply chains where there are homeworkers.

Homeworkers are sub-contracted workers that work from home for a piece-rate, who are often at the lower tiers of global supply chains. This half-day practical workshop is designed to help retailers and brands better understand the opportunities, risks and realities of supply chains that rely on homeworkers.

ETI Training Development Manager, Jane Collis, says the course is relevant for retailers and brands from across different industries: “Many high street retailers and luxury brands source from homeworkers, who carry out the embellishments and fine needlework that we see on garments. But homeworking can be found within many global supply chains, including sports goods, electrical assembly, print finishing and packaging.”

Because of their informal employment status, homeworkers often experience poorer living and working conditions compared to formal sector workers. Low wages, irregularity of work, lack of social protection, high rates of occupational injury, lack of access to training and information about rights and entitlements, as well as weak bargaining power are common concerns for homeworkers.

‘Introduction to homeworkers and ethical trade’ is aimed at managers, buyers, merchandisers, technologists and commercial teams. It focuses on opportunities to improve the working conditions of skilled artisan homeworkers; on business and ethical risks in complex supply chains and on the realities of pay, conditions and insecurity faced by many homeworkers.

This UK course is part of a comprehensive suite of training courses that ETI has designed for brands, suppliers, contractors, sub-contractors and homeworkers. It draws on our extensive work over the past decade to improve working conditions for homeworkers in the north of India, which included establishing the National Homeworker Group and increasing homeworker access to government-run health and life insurance schemes.

Jane Collis said: “Our India homeworker project broke new ground, and helped to amplify the voices of women working in northern India. This course is about sharing what we’ve learned with a wider business audience, and helping retailers and brands that are working with homeworkers in their global supply chains.”

The half-day course costs £180, with the next training dates scheduled for 23 October 2013 and 12 March 2014. The training team also offers bespoke training on homeworking and other ethical trade topics. Visit our training section for full details, or you can read more about our homeworkers project.