Working poverty is a reality worldwide. For many workers, a job does not provide a way out of poverty for them and their families. Supported by Ergon Associates, this report from the United Nations Global Compact, Improving Wages to Advance Decent Work in Supply Chains, aims to help companies to envisage and take concrete steps towards improving wages across their supply chains. As discussed further by Ergon’s Alastair Usher, the report reveals that there is now significant impetus and several valuable opportunities for multinational companies to press for improvements to supply chain wages, and the question now is how can companies translate their global commitments to living wage into a clear strategy and implementation plan.

The report draws on inputs provided by international organizations, workers representatives, civil society and multi-stakeholder initiatives. It also profiles the latest efforts from leading international brands and retailers, many of whom are part of the UNGC’s Decent Work in Global Supply Chains Action Platform Phase II: Tackling Working Poverty. The Action Platform is specifically looking at the impacts of procurement practices on wages, and the role of wages in advancing decent work and reducing poverty (SDG 8 and SDG 1)