Bangkok – Last week (28/09), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) launched a partnership with Diginex Solutions, an environmental, social and governance (ESG) data infrastructure company, to use blockchain technology to enhance labour supply chain monitoring and management, and better protect migrant workers. 

The partnership will deploy eMin – a mobile-optimized and blockchain-based platform developed by Diginex and field-tested in the seafood processing industry – in key new sectors in Thailand. eMin stores information about employment conditions and contracts, recruitment experiences and migration-associated costs, which are uploaded by migrant workers on a transparent and immutable ledger. As a result, companies can access and view real-time labour migration data, including workers’ feedback and employment contracts, with a high degree of trust, while preventing alterations to this data. 

“Migrant workers are frequently employed in industries which feed into vast global supply chains. Too often, this comes with a lack of transparency and accountability, making the elimination of labour exploitation a significant challenge. Capturing the voices of migrant workers employed in all tiers of supply chains is essential to ensuring companies respect and uphold their rights,” said Sally Barber, Head of Labour Migration and Human Development Unit at IOM Thailand. 

“eMin is one of the few tools that offer incentives and accountability to all parties involved in the recruitment process. We’ve tested eMin in multiple countries and locations and are excited about adapting it to new sectors in Thailand,” said Leanne Melnyk, Head of Human and Labour Rights Governance at Diginex Solutions. “Our goal is to create an end-to-end platform to facilitate the migrant worker’s journey from pre-departure to safe return,” Melnyk added.

The eMin roll-out will last eight-months, starting in late September 2020 and will include IOM’s private sector partners to further understand how technology can help companies increase transparency in global supply chains and better protect migrant workers.

With the COVID-19 pandemic increasing the risks of labour exploitation, the ability of businesses to monitor recruitment and employment practices within their supply chains is of increased importance. This partnership responds to both the continued need for businesses to ensure their products and services are free of exploitation, in accordance with international standards; and the need for brands to have remote monitoring capabilities in their supply chains, which has only increased in importance due to indefinite restrictions on mobility and physical access. 

IOM’s partnership with Diginex Solutions is part of IOM Corporate Responsibility in Eliminating Slavery and Trafficking (CREST) initiative, a regional partnership that aims to realize the potential of business to uphold the human and labour rights of migrant workers in their operations and supply chains. 

Through its direct partnerships with private companies, IOM provides strategic and practical solutions tailored to partners’ needs and supports longer-term sustainable change for the better protection of labour and human rights of migrant workers through ethical recruitment channels, transparent employment terms and conditions, sustainable and inclusive labour supply chains. 
 
For more information, please contact IOM at crestthailand@iom.int   

This project is possible in part thanks to funding provided by the Laudes Foundation.

Picture: IOM staff interviewing migrant workers in Mae Sot, Thailand. All rights reserved © IOM 2018