Public buyer capacity building

We build the capacity of affiliated public buyers to implement socially responsible procurement and to effectively use their leverage to protect and promote the rights of workers in their supply chains.

Electronics Watch serves as a knowledge hub. Our shared services include sharing supply chain data among affiliates who purchase the same products, conducting worker-driven supply chain investigations, and coordinating risk mitigation and remediation. To help affiliates combine their leverage to increase their impact, we also facilitate collaboration and learning between public buyers.

Many organisations lack the resources and in-house expertise to effectively tackle human rights in their supply chains. Electronics Watch affiliation serves as a helpdesk. The organisation-specific support that we provide to affiliates enables them to make use of our shared services. For many organisations, this starts with support to embed human rights into pre-tender planning, tendering, and contract performance. Others need help strengthening their policies, building awareness and skills within their teams, establishing a dialogue on human rights with their contractors, or communicating about the impact of this work.

Human rights due diligence

Human rights due diligence (HRDD) is an ongoing risk management process used by companies to identify, prevent, mitigate and account for negative human rights impacts. HRDD requires companies to respect human rights, and states to protect them. In the procurement context, public authorities are expected to promote awareness of and respect for human rights through the terms of their contracts. In some countries, legislation requires public authorities to do more, like undertaking due diligence themselves or reporting on activities aimed at preventing and addressing specific abuses, like modern slavery or child labour.

Contract performance management

Electronics Watch does not certify or rate products, suppliers, or individual production sites. We collect and analyse credible evidence of human rights issues in the supply chain and facilitate risk mitigation and access to remedy. Supporting affiliates to monitor and enforce human rights requirements in their contracts is a key part of this. Contract performance management drives continuous improvement, builds trust between the parties and promotes shared responsibility.

Tools and resources

Electronics Watch offers affiliates several tools and resources to support socially responsible public procurement, a selection of which are listed below. Only public documents are hyperlinked.