44. Worker-driven social responsibility

Worker-driven social responsibility (WSR) is an alternative to corporate social responsibility (CSR) developed in recognition of CSR’s failure to protect the rights of workers at the base of the supply chains. WSR was initiated in 2001 by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), an internationally recognized worker-based human rights organization composed of mostly migrant farmworkers in Immokalee, Florida. Farmworkers in Florida had experienced the inadequacy of corporate approaches to human rights protection in their supply chain as forced labour, sexual assault, and other oppressive legacies from slavery were ubiquitous in the industry. The CIW conducted a deep analysis of the industry and held community meetings where farmworkers reflected and discussed how the corporations at the top of the supply chain were more than just complicit in the workers’ poor wages and working conditions; they were notable contributors due to their purchasing practices. This critical reflection points to the dialogic provenance of the CIW and WSR. This entry will outline the principles of the WSR model and present notable distinctions between CSR and WSR, drawing on the CIW’s Fair Food Program case.