In-person engagement remains the most powerful way to connect with workers.
Leveraging technology can complement and strengthen these interactions by scaling outreach, expanding grievance and feedback systems, and gathering worker input across global supply chains.
To engage meaningfully with workers at scale, FLA developed the WISE (Worker Insights, Smart Engagement) mobile application, designed to disseminate worker-related information, help workers communicate with their employer, and obtain information from workers.Â
The WISE app was first introduced in the apparel sector in Türkiye in 2022 and is now being used in the agriculture sector in Guatemala and India. It is flexible for use across various sectors, tiers, and countries, facilitating collaboration with multiple stakeholders.Â
WISE Functionality
WISE is a flexible system designed to directly engage with supply chain workers to identify high-risk areas (e.g., facilities and issues), monitor relevant developments, and measure the impact of interventions – and can be used at any point in a company’s supply chain management system.
WISE is intentionally designed to function in rural areas with inconsistent connectivity. Therefore, even if users are not connected to a network, they can still access the app, and cases are submitted once they regain access.
Information Sharing
Workers may access helpful information about labor rights (e.g., legal minimum wage, referral services, news on labor standards, and emergency numbers in local languages). Companies can disseminate and reinforce information about workers’ rights and working conditions to workers. FLA can support or share materials to enhance the contents.
Communication Channel
Workers can report suggestions, concerns, or grievances directly through confidential two-way communications with a WISE case manager. FLA can help companies using WISE establish a grievance process; build capacities of WISE case managers, discuss resources, including a network of in-country experts if needed; and provide oversight on grievance resolution.
Feedback Mechanism (Survey)
WISE can collect workers’ feedback immediately and at scale to understand and respond to workers’ experiences and needs. Questions on demographics or other issues (such as remediation progress or worker satisfaction) can be collected through short surveys to WISE users. Standard questions, developed by FLA, are also available. Surveys may be sent during a worker’s employment cycle or throughout the year to collect information from workers.
Learn more
WISE is most effective when it is used in concert with traditional face-to-face conversations that would occur as part of an effective communication channel or existing grievance or communication channels that various actors already have implemented.
It serves as a complementary tool to strengthen worker engagement and feedback systems, offering an anonymous channel in workers’ cell phones. Companies are still responsible for establishing and maintaining robust, transparent, and rights-based grievance processes and capacities in accordance with local and international guidelines, such as the UNGP.
For more information, contact wise@fairlabor.org.
