Vulnerable Migrant Workers: The Responsibility of Business - an overview and comparative analysis of food production, manufacture and retail companies [1]

[2]This report provides an overview of the vulnerable position of many migrant workers employed in Britain and Ireland and offers a comparative analysis of the extent to which nine food production, manufacture and retail (supermarket) companies address this vulnerability.

Key findings and issues:

• With the growth in 'flexible' labour, migrant workers have increasingly filled agency, seasonal and temporary jobs in Britain and Ireland.
• Migrant workers are vulnerable and may be subject to very low pay, over-long hours, poor health and safety conditions, and discrimination.
• Weaknesses in the rights enforcement system mean that abuses may go undetected and unaddressed.
• Sectors where migrant workers are concentrated include care, cleaning, construction, hospitality and catering, and food production, manufacturing and retail (supermarkets).
• Companies and investors have a responsibility to reduce the incidence of vulnerable work throughout the supply chain.
• Few food companies in the study are explicit about the potential vulnerability of migrant workers or the additional support that they may need.
• Few of these companies have mainstreamed considerations about labour conditions into their core business practice.

The report recommendations highlight the need for companies to:

• recognise the potential vulnerability of migrant, temporary and agency workers;
• mainstream responsibility for labour conditions in their business practice;
• implement effective codes of conduct for suppliers;
• increase awareness of rights among all workers;
• strengthen monitoring and audits.

Companies in the survey: Associated British Foods, Greencore Group, Kerry Group, Morrisons, Northern Foods, Premier Foods, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Unilever.

Report sponsored by Rathbone Greenbank Investments. 

Published May 2009. Hard copy: ECCR members - £5 / €6 / $8. Non-members - £12 / €13 /  $18. Order form [3].

Executive summary [4] (pdf).

Download the full report [5] (pdf).

Investors action guide [6] (pdf).

Church action guide [7] (pdf).

Feedback form [8].

Vulnerable migrant workers: further protection and enforcement measures advocated by UK organisations [9] (pdf).