Honest Work Working for a Better World

Absolutely, though it might not be easy. When workers come together around an issue, they can exert a unique kind of pressure - they often care about their company’s mission and have a deep understanding of its challenges. They can also work with other groups seeking change, such as customers or investors. Check out these success stories from workers for some inspiration.

Workers should be aware of their rights (and the limits of those rights). Unfortunately in many countries, protections for labour organising are weak; workers should go in with their eyes open.

Workers need to balance what’s realistic with what’s impactful. Workers may have quicker success pushing for improved workplace recycling, but influencing your company’s relationships with polluting companies might ultimately have a greater result for the environment. Similarly, while companies may be persuaded to make political statements, efforts may be better spent on getting the company to address its own impacts.

The “What to change” section of this website sets out a number of key issues that cut across companies as well as some sector-specific challenges. These are a starting point to help you think about the biggest changes you can make. These focus on concrete changes that workers can ask for over the political statements that sometimes are a source of heated discussions within companies. Ultimately, addressing core, problematic business practices are more likely to positively impact society than empty corporate statements.

Low wages, precarious working conditions, inequality at staggering levels - clearly there is so much left to do in improving worker welfare. This is why we need a more supportive regulatory environment for workers, and higher and better union representation as a priority.

Yet worker welfare is not solely a result of their working conditions. The consequences of a changing climate, high drug prices, corporate money in politics - these all affect workers too, and yet there is little support for workers who want to use their influence to improve these issues. That’s why Honest Work has been set up.

Honest Work has been founded on the belief that workers can transform the companies they work for to help solve society’s problems. Here you can:

1. Find information and resources on how your company may be contributing to global problems and what they can do to change
2. Learn how to go about advocating for change internally and get colleagues on board
3. Join an online community of fellow workers for support, advice and learning
4. Subscribe to a monthly newsletter on the latest in employee activism, with tips and opportunities to make a difference

Get in touch!