Story of Change
How STITCH helps amplify worker voices towards systemic change in the garment industry
For real progress in the garment and textile industry, workers must be part of the conversation, and their inputs must be integrated systematically in decision making at all levels. STITCH partners have developed practical tools to make this happen — amplifying worker voices to influence wage negotiations, factory-level improvements, and human rights due diligence (HRDD) processes of global supply chain actors.
This Story of Change highlights how STITCH initiatives that collect and enable access to collective worker voice data in Cambodia and Vietnam are building momentum, and how their impact is being scaled up through the HRDD Facilitation Hub which informs brand action on HRDD.
Why worker voices matter
As brands face increasing pressure to comply with HRDD laws like the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), they are expected to engage meaningfully with stakeholders. Yet in a fragmented industry, this is not always straightforward.
STITCH partners have been working on solutions: tools that collect anonymous, first-hand data from workers in a structured and scalable way. These tools help unions push for fairer wages, enable workers to raise concerns safely, and provide credible insights for brands and policymakers to act on.
Worker voices are not only a matter of principle — they are essential for effective due diligence and lasting improvements in working conditions.
“The voice of an individual worker like me doesn't make much difference, but the collective responses from hundreds or even thousands of us? That kind of evidence speaks louder than any one complaint.”
– garment worker from Vietnam
Cambodia case: Fair Work Monitor
A digital tool to support wage demands
In Cambodia, the garment sector employs an estimated 840,000 workers, most of them women. Wages remain low and often fall short of covering basic living costs.
To help unions negotiate more effectively, CNV Internationaal and Cambodian partners developed the Fair Work Monitor — a digital survey tool that collects data from workers on wages, working conditions and working hours, and cost of living.
Since its launch in 2021, participation has grown from 500 workers in 30 factories to 2,400 in 92 factories by 2024. More unions have joined, and the tool is now used in both urban and rural areas, giving a more complete picture of wage conditions across the country.
Workers in Cambodia use CNV Internationaal’s Fair Work Monitor tool
Strengthening collaboration and credibility
Initially, when CNV Internationaal together with its partner unions encouraged other unions, which were also participating in Cambodia's annual tripartite wage negotiations, to use the data for their collective negotiations, the latter were hesitant, as they had not been part of the data collection and analysis process. Having learned from this, in 2023 CNV Internationaal asked the same independent unions to share their feedback on the content and questions of the Fair Work Monitor and invited them to join the project. This led to increase in participation by the unions and also more ownership of the data and process — shaping the content of the survey, leading data collection, and analysing the results together.
In 2024, for the first time, unions submitted a joint wage report during tripartite negotiations. The Ministry of Labour welcomed the report and acknowledged the strength of the findings. This was a notable achievement in a context where unions are often viewed with suspicion.
Behind this success was also a strong focus on capacity building. Trade unions received training on interpreting and presenting complex wage data — building both confidence and credibility.
“Before, we often didn’t have enough data to support our negotiations with employers. This tool has strengthened our position because we now have first-hand information on actual wages and costs of living to build and defend our arguments and demands.”
– Som Chandy, garment worker and active Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers' Democratic Union (C.CAWDU) member
Using data beyond negotiations
While the minimum wage increase achieved in 2024 was modest ($4), the unions’ data showed the depth of the challenge: most workers earn less than the $230 (monthly) living wage estimate, and nearly three-quarters of all workers need to borrow money to cover basic needs.
This underlines the need for brands to take a proactive role towards achieving living wage in the garment sector in Cambodia. To support the move towards responsible purchasing practices, the findings of the survey will also feed into the HRDD Facilitation Hub.
Vietnam case: WE CHECK
A mobile app for rights awareness and action
Over the years of working directly with workers, CDI has gathered a lot of information and insights from them — understanding the challenges, and barriers faced by employees, their capabilities as well as strengths and weaknesses, while also having a good grasp of the actual working conditions of employees at factories. CDI has also conducted studies to understand the status of working conditions, wages, and access to complaint mechanisms.
Recognising the importance of having workers' voices considered in decision-making processes, and the need for a systemic and lasting mechanism for this, in 2020 CDI launched a mobile application called WE CHECK.
WE CHECK is a tool that helps workers understand Vietnam labour regulations, assess working conditions, and access support. The app includes:
Information about the Vietnam labour regulations
Self-assessments on Vietnam labour law
Occupational health checks
A grievance mechanism with legal advice
WE CHECK has over 1,500 users across 116 factories, including many in the garment and electronics sectors. It is rolled out through a train-the-trainer model.
Preventing unfair dismissals
In 2023, a factory in Ho Chi Minh City restructured and gave workers a choice: accept a pay cut or resign. Workers, recently trained on WE CHECK, used the app to report the issue and connect with social organisations and the District Labour Federation. As a result, the factory reversed its decision — restoring existing contracts and benefits. This case shows how access to worker voice data, technology and collective action can lead to quick, concrete outcomes.
Driving policy and brand engagement
WE CHECK is also a powerful data source. Aggregated results reveal common violations, such as excessive working hours or lack of wage transparency. These insights are now informing advocacy and dialogue with suppliers, brands, and policymakers.
CDI is working to include WE CHECK data in the HRDD Facilitation Hub, aligning worker-driven insights with brand due diligence needs.
“With the introduction of WE CHECK, we are now able to present hard evidence to relevant stakeholders, such as companies, business associations and brands. We can now use the collective worker voice to foster meaningful discussions on improving working conditions.”
– CDI staff member
Connecting and scaling up: The HRDD Facilitation Hub
To create lasting change in supply chains, it’s not enough to collect worker data—we need to connect the dots. That’s what the HRDD Facilitation Hub, developed by Fair Wear, is designed to do.
The Hub brings together data from multiple sources: brand performance checks, factory audits, and worker voice tools like the Fair Work Monitor and WE CHECK. It creates one shared system where brands can identify, track and address risks in their supply chains.
“For a long time, we have been working with a lot of good assumptions about how brand processes influence labour conditions. With the legal frameworks changing, it is becoming more important to validate and substantiate these assumptions. Integrating worker voices is essential in this process.”
– Anne van Lakerveld, Coordinator Research & Innovation at Fair Wear
A shared language for due diligence
The Hub harmonizes indicators across tools and stakeholders. This means that brands, unions, and civil society groups can look at the same issues — like low wages or excessive overtime — with a shared understanding of the risks involved.
This also makes it easier for brands to meet due diligence requirements under laws like the CSDDD. Instead of piecing together data manually, they can access verified insights from the field, with clear suggestions for action.
The Hub is already in use by Fair Wear member brands and is being expanded with data from STITCH partners. It helps trace patterns across countries and factories, link risks to brand practices, and suggest preventive or corrective steps. Fair Wear’s vision is to open the platform to more users in the future — creating an industry-wide resource that supports better decisions, faster responses, and more meaningful engagement with workers.
In conclusion
The Fair Work Monitor and the WE CHECK app show how structured worker-driven data collection and its integration into decision making can inform negotiations, prevent rights violations, and support stronger due diligence. By scaling up through the HRDD Facilitation Hub, these insights are no longer isolated — they are part of a larger system designed to hold brands accountable and improve conditions across the board. As due diligence laws take hold, these tools offer a practical pathway forward — where worker voices are not just heard but lead the way.