KnowTheChain Benchmarks

Benchmarks help identify and share leading practices with companies, enabling them to adopt standards and procedures that protect the well-being of workers. By benchmarking, we aim to incentivize leading and lagging companies and identify gaps in each sector we evaluate. In 2016, KnowTheChain published its first set of benchmarks. In 2018, we will be publishing our second set of benchmarks covering over 120 companies.

Coming Soon

2018 Benchmarks

In 2018 we will benchmark over 120 companies from the ICT, Food & Beverage, and Apparel & Footwear sectors. KnowTheChain will use an updated methodology to evaluate what companies are doing to address forced labor in their supply chains.

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2016 Benchmark

Information & Communications Technology

An evaluation of ICT companies' efforts to protect workers in their supply chains from forced labor.

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key findings

Worker Voice

ICT companies are taking little action to ensure workers have a voice throughout their supply chain.

Traceability & Risk Assessment

ICT companies are taking steps to trace their supply chains beyond first-tier suppliers.

Recruitment

While some firms have leading policies on recruitment fees, more action is needed across the sector.

2016 Benchmark

Food & Beverage

An evaluation of Food & Beverage companies' efforts to protect workers in their supply chains from forced labor.

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key findings

Recruitment

Action needed to protect migrant and seasonal agriculture workers during recruitment.

Traceability

Companies have started to trace commodities, but efforts are limited in scope.

Purchasing Practices

Integration of labor standards needs to be accompanied by efforts to reward suppliers with strong labor practices.

2016 Benchmark

Apparel & Footwear

An evaluation of Apparel and Footwear companies' efforts to protect workers in their supply chains from forced labor.

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key findings

Recruitment

Action needed to protect workers during recruitment process.

Worker Voice

Apparel companies taking little action to ensure workers have a voice throughout their supply chain.

Remedy

Greater commitment needed by apparel companies to address and remediate abuses.

why benchmarking?

KnowTheChain believes that benchmarks can play a powerful role in encouraging companies to uphold labor standards and protect workers’ rights. We believe they harness the competitive nature of markets to drive a “race to the top” by creating brand reward for leaders and brand risk for laggards. But more importantly, they give companies and investors the information necessary to understand performance, examples of good practices, and a path forward.

Existing benchmarks such as the Access to Medicine Index for the pharmaceutical sector, Oxfam’s Behind the Brands ranking of global food companies, and Ranking Digital Rights for ICT, have demonstrated how this approach can drive tangible improvements in companies’ policy and practice.

In 2016, KnowTheChain launched its first set of benchmarks covering 60 companies. In 2018, we will be publishing our second set of benchmarks covering 125 companies.

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