Welcome to Indian Sugar Industry Workers Association :: Fighting Exploitation in the Sugar Industry
Welcome to Indian Sugar Industry Workers Association :: Fighting Exploitation in the Sugar Industry
The Worker-driven Social Responsibility model refers to an approach to Human Rights Due
Diligence (HRDD) where workers themselves actively lead the process of monitoring and
enforcing labour standards within a company's supply chain, directly engaging with brands and
retailers through legally binding agreements, giving workers more power to protect their rights
and address abuses within the system. This model is often cited as a more effective approach
than the traditional Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) paradigm, which has proven widely
ineffective at its stated purpose of protecting human rights in global supply chains.
Thanks to its unique success, the WSR model has expanded today to multiple industries – including garment,
dairy, and construction – and is active on five continents.
Behind Every Spoon of Sugar, There’s a Story of Struggle
ISWA
We are building the first-ever WSR model around sugar supply chains and agricultural
labor in Asia! We are building towards a robust WSR model which empowers sugarcane
cutters to serve as frontline monitors of their own rights and, in the process,
providing a proven system of human rights due diligence for global brands sourcing
from India. ISWA is committed to partnering with international brands to ensure that
India’s labour laws – particularly those barring forced labor and sexual violence – are
implemented in the sugar industry supply chain.