Introducing the WEST Principles
The creation of the Worker Engagement Supported by Technology (WEST) Principles set a new industry standard for engaging with workers across our global supply chain.
Project Manager / Creative Lead
Spring – Summer 2017
Technology-driven efforts, including Laborlink, have emerged as a useful tool to connect with workers and address human rights abuses. But, the novelty of these solutions combined with the magnitude of the problem can result in poorly designed interventions that fall short of their promise.
To set industry guidelines, the Worker Engagement Supported by Technology (WEST) Principles were developed by a set of six industry co-authors to maximize the impact of technology-driven efforts to engage workers in global supply chains. They give guidance on how to design and implement technological solutions that identify and address worker abuse and exploitation.
As the project lead, I organized four creative workshops with the co-author group to develop an initial set of guidelines that everyone agreed upon. A draft of the WEST Principles was peer-reviewed by 20+ external stakeholders, including worker groups, factory managers, and brand representatives, and their feedback was incorporated in the final published version of the WEST Principles.
Launching the WEST Principles brand & website
As the creative lead, our team partnered with Humanity United and Comrade Agency to develop the WEST Principles branding, website, and supporting design collateral.
The project was successfully completed in 4 months and the final principles were unveiled at the Innovation Forum in Washington, D.C. on July 26, 2017.
Key project milestones
2016 – Collaborated with Laborlink leadership to redefine our communication strategy, which resulted in a new focus to make technology-driven worker engagement an industry standard.
2017 – Received $60,000 of funding from Humanity United to convene a group of technology providers to draft a set of design and implementation guidelines that will ensure that technology is leveraged for good.
2017 – Recruited six technology providers, convened four co-author workshops, collected feedback from 18 additional stakeholder groups, and finalized eight principles in three months.
2017 – Creative lead for the WEST Principles brand, website, and supporting design collateral.
2017 – Solicited endorsements from 16 brands, including Target and Marks & Spencer.
2017 – Laborlink was acquired by ELEVATE, which required the Laborlink team to step down from its leadership role with the WEST Principles.