The reports presents findings from a study jointly commissioned by Bunge Loders Croklaan, Cargill and Mondelēz International, to assess the situation of migrant labour in Malaysia, with a focus on the palm oil sector. Phase 1 of the study was conducted in Malaysia, focusing on foreign workers in the palm oil value chain. Phase 2 of the research was conducted in Nepal, focusing on the recruitment and journey of workers seeking to work in all industry sectors in Malaysia. The research involved a thorough literature review, 60 stakeholder consultations with government, industry, civil society and other actors. It also includes over 100 interviews with migrant workers and their families. Importantly, the report presents key recommendations to governments, industry and civil society on how to work together in ensuring the protection of migrant workers' fundamental rights. Supplementing the main report, a series of six focus assessments provide more in-depth analysis of the situation, frameworks as well as the relations and dynamics across the sector.

Executive Summary (9 pages)

Main Report (45 pages) 

Focus Assessments (providing more in-depth analysis)

1.      The Malaysian Palm Oil Sector and Sustainability Trends

2.     The Malaysian Foreign Employment Regulatory Framework

3.     Labour Sending Country Frameworks

4.     The Role and Function of Agents

5.     The Situation of Migrant Labour in the Palm Oil Sector

6.     Strategy Analysis of Stakeholders and Dynamics

Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) is the largest non-profit cotton sustainability programme in the world. Given significant concerns and reports of forced labour and substandard labour conditions in cotton supply chains across the world, BCI set up an independent Task Force on Forced Labour to review their assurance systems and related processes to make recommendations. Embode's Director, Aarti Kapoor, was invited as a member along with 11 other experts from civil society, private sector and peer consultancy agencies. The Task Force formulated a comprehensive set of recommendations on how BCI can strengthen its monitoring, identification and responses to risks of forced labour in cotton supply chains it works across.

The full set of recommendations can be downloaded here.

Vietnam is one of Asia’s largest garment exporters, with its biggest export markets in the United States, Japan the EU. Whilst Vietnam has improved labour laws and standards, to what extent are rights being realised by workers?

This rapid assessment provides insight into the experiences of 21 garment factory workers across three production plants in the North and South of Vietnam. The assessment reveals a culture of fear, with intimidation and control commonly used as a way of managing workers in high pressure and stressful environments.

Access Assessment here

Any case of child labour in a business supply chain raises significant moral reflection, reputational damage and interventions that can be reactive more than responsive. So, how should businesses go about responding appropriately?

This study presents a set of ten sustainable business approaches, from around the world, to combat child labour together with examples of emerging business practices that show promise. The intended audience includes business and industry leaders working to improve social sustainability in tackling child labour.

Commissioned by Global Child Forum.

Children have the right to participate in all matters affecting them, and to have their views taken into account. This right is enshrined under article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Children. So, how do we translate this right to participate into practice?

This manual outlines a series of good practices relating to child participation and children’s right to be heard in Cambodia. The key focus is how children are participating in national policy dialogue and programme development, highlighting where relevant the specific needs of adolescents.

Commissioned by NGOCRC Cambodia.

This report outlines the nature of child labour in the cocoa sector of Indonesia and recommendations to Mondelēz International.

It also includes an overview of the national systems, laws and policies responding to the issue and an analysis of the cocoa sector from a child-centred perspective highlighting the strengths and gaps.

Commissioned by Mondelēz International.

This report outlines the scale and nature of child labour, including its worst forms, in the cocoa sector of Côte d’Ivoire and recommendations to Mondelēz International.

It also includes a presentation of international and national law, an overview of the national systems responding to the issue and a child-centred analysis on the strengths and gaps of the overarching response.

Commissioned by Mondelēz International.

This report outlines the scale and nature of child labour, including its worst forms, in the cocoa sector of Ghana and recommendations to Mondelēz International.

It also includes a presentation of international and national law, an overview of the national systems responding to the issue and a child-centred analysis on the strengths and gaps of the overarching response.

Commissioned by Mondelēz International.

The latest works of the Grubb School of Organisational Analysis, published in 2016 and edited by Prof Susan Long. The book is full of papers contributed by leading organisational analysts with case studies and practical frameworks to be used to understand the complexities and ambiguities of experience within organisational life. ‘Transforming Experience in Organisations’ explores how people can take authentic action through taking up roles.

A paper entitled ‘Finding, making, and taking role: a case study from the complexity of inter-agency dynamics,’ is contributed by Aarti Kapoor.

The book is highly recommended in its entirety for leaders wanting to develop their organisational capacity.