In 2020, a group of brands commissioned Impactt to investigate forced labour at three garment and textile manufacturing sites in Tamil Nadu, India. The investigation was a continuation of similar work conducted over the previous three years where forced labour indicators were present.
Impactt undertook an unannounced worker-focused investigation visit with the following objectives:
- To build a holistic understanding of the current labour practices and conditions
- To identify and map out recruitment channels (training centres and origin recruitment agents) of adolescent labour
- To map out worker accommodation and the extent to which facilities have a financial stake
- To independently verify the nature and extent of allegations across the sites
In addition to on-site interviews, Impactt also conducted offsite interviews with workers living in nearby villages and engaged with the community to better understand the three sites as employers.
As a result of the assessment, Impactt found the following forced labour indicators present at the sites:
- Abuse of vulnerability
- Retention of identity documents
- Restriction of movement
- Excessive overtime
- Abusive working and living conditions
- Deception
- Isolation
