CIRCLE
Advancing rights, together
Meaningful community engagement. Addressing labor risks. Building solutions that last.
Many labor risks and challenges — low wages, unsafe working conditions, lack of opportunity — are rooted in problems that go beyond the workplace. While companies are responsible for addressing these labor issues, community engagement is critical to reach the root causes. CIRCLE connects grassroots community work with supply chain due diligence efforts to improve working and living conditions inclusively.
What is CIRCLE?
- Targeted, risk-focused approach to identify labor risks
- Community engagement model to foster social dialogue and drive lasting solutions
- Effective option for companies to meet HRDD community engagement expectations
Read our article “Why community engagement must be part of your HRDD program” →
Outcomes
“Communication between [the company] and the area of influence has indeed improved, because we have been working on issues such as non-discrimination, the elimination of child labor, and the prevention of forced labor. The community feel supported by this… project, where activities are conducted to make [the company] feel close to them.”
– Company representative on the impact of the CIRCLE model
For business
- Valuable insights for HRDD and remediation programs
- Context-specific risk information
- Early detection and mitigation of risks
- Increased supply chain visibility, including to recruitment and migration pathways
- Trusted channels for prevention and remediation
- Meet community engagement expectations of HRDD regulations and standards
For workers and communities
- Increased awareness of labor rights
- Stronger safeguards against labor abuses
- Stronger community leadership and collective action
- Improved relationships between communities, companies, and government
- Safer, more resilient, and better-connected communities
“[This program] was a bridge between companies and communities. …The participation of [the program] was relevant to improving this relationship.”
– Community circle member
How Does CIRCLE Work?
The heart of CIRCLE is the Community Circle model. Community Circles are safe, trusted, and inclusive spaces where community members come together regularly to discuss challenges related to work, family life, and labor rights. These community-led conversations are supported through a small-grants program and facilitated by trained SAI team members. Combining dialogue, relationship-building, capacity building for community-led support systems, and a small-grants program, CIRCLE strengthens labor risk detection and response at the community level and connects those efforts to supply chain HRDD systems.
Within Community Circles, members openly share their experiences and concerns, identify labor risks such as child labor or unsafe work, learn about labor rights in simple, practical ways, design and implement innovative solutions locally, and engage with employers and local government to make those solutions last.
CIRCLE in Action
Get Involved
Companies looking to get involved can fund a CIRCLE near a key supplier, or make a donation to support ongoing existing CIRCLE initiatives.
If you are building or strengthening your HRDD program and want to understand what community-level due diligence looks like in practice, we welcome the conversation.
