Delivered By Margaux Yost, Manager, BSR (Business for Social Responsibility), at the Global Forum 2020 Supply Chain and Gender session.

1. GLOBAL FORUM2020
3 R D S A V I N G L I V E S S U S T A I N A B L Y:
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION IN THE HEALTH
SECTOR GLOBAL FORUM|2020 RIYADH
Margaux Yost
Healthy Supply
Chains

2. INTRODUCTION
BSR's HERproject™ is a collaborative initiative that strives to
empower low-income women working in global supply
chains.
Bringing together global brands, their suppliers, and local
NGOs, HERproject™ drives impact for women and business
via workplace-based interventions on health, financial
inclusion, and gender equality. Since its inception in 2007,
HERproject™ has worked in more than 850 workplaces
across 14 countries and has increased the well-being,
confidence, and economic potential of more than 1,000,000

3. Supply Chains
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4. Example from Ethiopia:
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89% 18-24
8% 25-34
3% Non-response
Age
86% Unmarried
14% Married
Marital Status
89% No, I don't have children
11% Yes, I have children
Children
What are some benefits of
family planning (spacing,
prevent unintended
pregnancies, reduces physical,
social and ergonomic risks,
economic reasons, prevents
HIV/AIDS)?
4% 0 benefits
51% 1 benefit
24% 2 benefits
12% 3 benefits
3% 4 benefits
0% 5 benefits
0% 6 benefits
0% 7 benefits
Are you using a modern
family planning method?
30% Yes
64% No
6% No answer
If no, do you want to use
a modern family
planning method?
46% Yes
22% No
29% No answer

5. COVID-19 Impacts : Worker Survey Report
Objective of our surveys : Understand how COVID-19 has impacted workers and factories.
Timeframe: Surveys were gathered between August and October 2020.
Methodology: Phone surveys with workers and managers in 6 countries across multiple workplaces and regions
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• 95 garment workers surveyed
• 65% female and 35% male.
• 100 garment workers surveyed
• 52% female and 48% male.
• 115 garment workers surveyed
• 53% female and 47% male.
• 523 garment workers surveyed
• 56% female and 44% male
• 136 garment workers surveyed
• 34% female and 66% male
• 100 workers in garment & agriculture
surveyed
• 58% female and 42% male
A report summarizing the survey findings will be published before the end of 2020.
In each workplace 1 or 2 managers were surveyed
Total workers surveyed: 1,069

6. Workers report an increase in violence against women
• India: 17% of female respondents noticed an increase of violence against women.
• Vietnam: 10% of female and 4% of male respondents reported noticing an increase of
violence against women.
• China: 8% of female and 6% of male respondents reported an increase of violence against
women around them.
• Kenya: 54% of female and 49% of male respondents reported noticing an increase of
violence against women around them.
Awareness of organizations who support women facing violence is limited
• India: 17% of respondents reported knowing of one or more.
• Vietnam: Only 5% of women and 2% of men reported knowing of one or more.
• China: Only 3% of women and 9% of men reported knowing of one or more.
• Kenya: 57% of women and 49% of men reported knowing of one or more.
“I have financial issues because my
salary can hardly sustain the family.
My husband lost his job due to COVID-
19 and this has affected the family
both financially and emotionally.
There have been increased
arguments in the family.”
Female Worker, Kenya
GBV is on the rise

7. Unsurprisingly, workers are getting less work than before
• China: 44% of female workers and 36% of male workers working less than before the
pandemic.
• India: 40% of female workers and 51% of male workers working less than before the
pandemic.
• Vietnam: 34% of female workers and 39% of male workers working less than before the
pandemic.
Both female and male workers are skipping meals to save money
• Vietnam: 37% of female and 42% of male workers had to skip meals.
• Bangladesh: 1 in 2 men and 2 in 5 women reported not having enough money for food.
• Kenya: 70% of female and 78% of male workers had to skip meals.
Workers had not been paid during government lockdowns
• Bangladesh: 10% of respondents report being owed wages during the lockdown.
• India: 69% of female workers and 27% of male workers didn’t get paid during the lockdown.
“COVID-19 has impacted my
income because the factory’s
orders were slashed. Most of my
coworkers did odd jobs after work,
but because of my age I am not fit
for that anymore. What I fear
most is losing my job, because it
will be difficult to find a new job
at my age.”
Male worker in China
Job Losses Are Top Of Mind For
Female And Male Workers

8. Increased Levels of Anxiety And Strains on Mental
Health
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Workers’ anxiety has increased since the pandemic
• China: 64% of female respondents and 51% of male respondents reported
anxiety since the start of the lockdown.
• India: 82% of female respondents and 90% of male respondents reported
anxiety since the start of the lockdown.
• Vietnam: 78% of female respondents and 87% of male respondents reported
anxiety since the start of the social distancing measures.
• Kenya: 95% of respondents from both genders reported increased anxiety.
• Managers across countries confirm that anxiety has increased amongst
workers and managers.
• Managers also reported workers are having difficulty balancing their
household care duties and work.
Most workers feeling less connected to their family and friends
• 3 in 5 workers in India and 1 in 3 workers in Vietnam are feeling less connected
to their family and friends.
• China: In contrast with other countries, in China 50% of female and 30% of male
respondents reported feeling more connected with their family and friends.
“Because of the decline in working hours due to Covid, I
have time to help my wife with housework and take my
child to the market”
Line leader in China
“Women are stressed about finances and are worried
about their children. Most of them sent them to the
villages since schools are closed. This separation causes
anxiety and poor mental health.”
Nazneen C. Huq , Change Associates, Bangladesh
“Since COVID-19 started work at home has tripled. Once
you serve breakfast you have a mountain of dishes to
wash, by the time you are done, there is lunch to prepare.
You go to work the whole day and, in the evening, you are
expected to serve with the same stamina. I believe men
should help us sometimes.”
Female factory worker, Kenya

9. People Centred
Approach
Key priority areas based on our
findings:
• Reproductive Health
• Nutrition
• Mental Health
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THANK YOU