We already know this is an issue affecting millions of workers employed in the garment sector. The most recent on-the-ground reports from our projects show 1 in 2 women workers in garment factories in South-East Asia have experienced some form of sexual harassment in the past 12 months. We also know this has a significant cost to business, with a 2017 study estimating the cost to the Cambodian garment industry to be as high as USD$89 million per year in lost productivity.
The brands, suppliers, employers, associations, investors and government representatives who gathered in Phnom Penh in October wanted to move beyond the figures to find practical ways of working together to address this problem. So what happened when they had this opportunity?
Convening such a diverse group of participants focused on the same goal had some clear benefits.
Different perspectives have their voices heard
Brands learned about the experiences of women workers directly from individuals working in garment factories. Civil society organisations were able to hear the perspectives of brands, which they commented was very rare. Suppliers heard from investors about why they view sexual harassment as a business issue.
By bringing numerous voices together, attendees were able to appreciate the challenges faced by other parts of the supply chain and ensure solutions will truly be practical.
Crucial questions can be explored in a safe space
There’s no doubt workplace sexual harassment is a challenging issue. Bringing people together in an environment which did not seek to point fingers but instead encouraged everyone to be open about the issue led to true meaningful discussion. Instead of allocating blame or shifting responsibility, everyone genuinely engaged with the topic so the true barriers to change could be acknowledged rather than ignored.
Employers see that action is crucial and possible
Workplace sexual harassment has commonly been a hidden issue which factories did not want to acknowledge for fear of being penalised by auditors or buyers. Rather than sending a message of fear to factories and suppliers, engaging proactively at all levels sends the clear message that workplace harassment is something brands and investors wish to see being proactively addressed. The focus on solutions demonstrated that taking action is possible and provided employers with practical steps they can take, such as reviewing their complaint response systems or ensuring their factory has a functioning sexual harassment committee.
Relationships are built for collaboration and collective action
Numerous attendees noted working together is crucial in order to achieve change. By bringing people together to initiate these conversations about solutions, industry leaders were able to make concrete plans for how they will proceed—plans which involve many different perspectives.
A number of brands and industry stakeholders are now consulting with CARE and Better Work to develop a garment industry response to violence and harassment in the workplace, incorporating many of the solutions discussed at the event.
The Business of Women at Work event was jointly organized by CARE and Better Work with the support of the Australian Government. The event resulted from collaboration between Better Factories Cambodia and CARE on the STOP project, which contributes to CARE’s Made by Women strategy.
Update: Following consultation with industry partners, CARE and Better Factories Cambodia published the Guidelines for Addressing Gender-Based Violence and Harassment in the Textile, Clothing and Footwear Manufacturing Industry in June 2021. This open-source guidance is available to download from care.org/gbvhguidelines.
