Ikats drying in Yogyakarta, Indonesia
A project of The Cahn Group dedicated solely to supporting worker voice.
Clear Voice begins as a communication channel that all parties can trust, providing opportunities for workers to anonymously report concerns.
Each Clear Voice hotline supports an effective grievance mechanism by providing information to factory and farm managers, giving them an opportunity to resolve small problems before they become bigger ones. Clear Voice is a project of The Cahn Group.
Bangladesh
Amader Kotha Helpline
Clear Voice was selected in 2014 to implement a worker helpline in Bangladesh following the Rana Plaza disaster. The Amader Kotha Helpline has become a highly successful initiative made possible through a unique collaboration among three project partners:
- Clear Voice, a project of The Cahn Group, with global expertise designing and implementing effective grievance mechanisms.
- Phulki, a respected civil society organization working to improve the lives of workers and their families in Bangladesh. Learn more.
- LRQA, a leading global business risk and sustainability solutions provider. Learn more.
Pakistan
Hamary Awaz Helpline
Clear Voice participated in the 2023 creation and ongoing operations of the Hamary Awaz Helpline in Pakistan. Designed to copy the highly successful Amader Kotha Helpline in Bangladesh, Hamary Awaz currently serves thousands of workers in factories used by global brands and retailers.
- Clear Voice, a project of The Cahn Group, with global expertise designing and implementing effective grievance mechanisms.
- Baidarie, a 30-year old civil society organization established by a group of rural women near Sialkot, Pakistan to support the role of women in business and civic matters. The organization has deep knowledge of labor issues in supply chains. Learn more.
- LRQA, a leading global business risk and sustainability solutions provider. Learn more.
United States
GAP Connections Worker Concern Line
Clear Voice operates the GAP Connection Concern Line designed to remedy workplace issues and improve worker and grower relations by encouraging workers to express concerns that growers may not be aware of. The GAPC Worker Concern Helpline provides a way for farmworkers on a GAPC Grower Member's farm to ask for information or express concerns. GAP Connections is a nonprofit agricultural membership organization that provides leadership for the adoption of agricultural standards and practices.
Additional Grievance Mechanism Projects
Other support for effective grievance mechanisms:
Development of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Following his participation in stakeholder meetings convened by John Ruggie, then Special Representative to the UN Secretary General, Cahn was asked to help test the draft principles for effective grievance mechanisms in 2011. As a result, he facilitated pilot projects in the fruit growing region of South Africa’s Western Cape (Tesco supply chain) and in a garment factory outside of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (Esquel manufacturer). Modifications to the principles that resulted from the pilot project were later adopted by the UN. For more information, see: Pilot, Principles of Effective Grievance Principles.
Model Grievance Mechanism in China. Working closely with Beijing-based Social Resources Institute in 2012 and 2013, Cahn supported a cutting-edge project to design a model grievance mechanism for the Chinese apparel sector. Cahn was brought into the project by the project funder, the Great Britain China Centre, as a content expert to help the Social Resources Institute explore the way that these broad principles of effective grievance mechanisms could be made relevant to the practical world of Chinese apparel manufacturing sector. A summary of the research, including an essay authored by Cahn, can be found here: Model Grievance Mechanism, China.
Complaints Handling Guidance for Asia Development Bank Projects. At the request of the Asia Development Bank in 2010, Cahn developed a guidance note to help the Bank and its clients understand the Bank’s heightened expectations related to grievance handling procedures in the Bank’s many large infrastructure projects. The guidance note can be found at: ADB Grievance Guidance.
Seafood Task Force. Conducted a worker voice workshop to instill practical ideas for improving worker management dialogue and conflict resolution based on internationally recognized standards in Bangkok, Thailand.
Support for leading brands. The Cahn Group created of a set of operating principles and effectiveness criteria for a major global brand, along with benchmarking of leading grievance mechanisms. The worker voice criteria and benchmarking are being used as a tool to guide business units as they expand the opportunities for workers’ voices to be heard.