How We Work

In support of its mission, Verité regularly engages with companies and other stakeholders to assist in the identification, analysis and resolution of labor rights problems in their supply chains. We utilize a wide range of tools in this work, including social auditing, training, research, policy analysis and advocacy for the adoption of best practices.

In all cases, our objective is to have a positive impact on the resolution of serious human rights and labor rights violations. When a company or other stakeholder approaches Verité for assistance, we conduct an analysis of the opportunity for impact, assessing the severity of the problem to be resolved, the corporate commitment to resolution, the involvement of other stakeholders (local NGOs, trade unions, investors and governments) and several other factors. We assess these factors without reference to the product or service under consideration. If our conclusion is that Verité can likely contribute to meaningful improvements in protections for vulnerable people and the conditions in which they work, we will undertake the engagement. As it is not possible to understand every factor associated with an engagement at the outset, we continuously evaluate the anticipated impacts of our work as engagements are underway.

Most of our work for companies and others is conducted on a confidential basis, as this enhances openness and trust and facilitates difficult changes, and because a full accounting of workplace conditions often requires reference to proprietary business information. In circumstances where a company approaches Verité for investigation and resolution of issues raised by public reports by an NGO or government, we generally require that our findings are also made public. This transparency allows Verité’s findings to be widely available and understood in the context that have presented them to our client.