Worker Engagement through SLCP
Why worker voice matters
Workers are closest to the daily realities of the workplace. Their input strengthens risk identification, improves supply chain transparency, and makes SLCP data more credible.
That’s why Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) frameworks call for Meaningful Stakeholder Engagement: direct, two-way dialogue with the people who are or may be directly affected by a company’s operations, including workers, their representatives, and trade unions.
Regulatory Spotlight: The CSDDD
Worker involvement used to be best practice. The EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) now makes it a regulatory mandate.
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Companies must consult stakeholders including employees of business partners, trade unions, and worker representatives, during the diligence process, particularly when identifying, assessing, and prioritizing actual or potential adverse impacts.
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The CSDDD recognizes that companies may meet their obligations through industry or multi-stakeholder initiatives, such as SLCP.
How SLCP involves workers today
Self-assessments: SLCP strongly recommends that facilities actively involve workers and/or their representatives when completing the self/joint-assessment. SLCP has prepared specific guidance to help facilities set up a Worker Engagement Committee to facilitate the self/joint-assessment process.
On-site verifications: SLCP Verifiers are required to involve workers and their representatives during the opening and closing meetings, and to hear their perspectives through worker interviews.
Looking Ahead to CAF v2.0
With the upcoming version of SLCP’s Converged Assessment Framework:
Worker engagement in self-assessments become mandatory
Facilities will be required to engage workers under SLCP's new Worker Engagement Protocol. Facilities will have the flexibility to adopt different approaches to obtain worker input and feedback during the self-assessment process.
Facilities can share broader HRDD data
Facilities will be able to showcase participation in other HRDD activities during the assessment process, such as through worker survey results, giving stakeholders a deeper understanding of the situation at the facility, beyond just the data in the SLCP report.
Worker involvement in verification continues
SLCP Verifiers will still be required to involve workers and their representatives in opening and closing meetings and to hear their perspectives through worker interviews.
