Law
Fair Labor Standards in Global Supply Chains
Quick fact
The majority of global supply chains are fragmented across multiple countries, with the final brand often having no direct legal relationship with the workers who make their products. For example, in the garment industry, a single shirt may involve cotton from the US, thread from India, fabric from China, and sewing in Bangladesh—with each step potentially subcontracted to smaller factories that are harder to monitor and enforce labor standards upon.
Why this is interesting
You probably own a smartphone, a pair of sneakers, or a t-shirt that were made in a factory you've never seen. Who ensured the people who made them were paid fairly and worked in safe conditions? Or did anyone?