Climate justice and wage justice go hand in hand in global supply chains

Climate shocks are no longer abstract risks for global supply chains. Extreme heat, flooding and water scarcity are already disrupting garment and footwear production, damaging infrastructure and endangering workers’ health.
 
At the 12th OECD forum on responsible business conduct in Paris, discussions on the second day turned to the escalating impact of climate change on workers. The message from trade unions was clear: climate resilience and workers’ rights cannot be separated.
 
Research presented during the session showed rising medical visits and absenteeism during periods of extreme heat. Workers often absorb the burden through income loss, increased production pressure and unsafe conditions.
 
Factory representatives outlined adaptation measures such as improved ventilation, hydration systems, adjusted shifts, emergency planning and infrastructure upgrades. Yet many acknowledged that suppliers cannot shoulder these investments alone. Without changes in purchasing practices and shared financial responsibility, adaptation costs risk being pushed down the supply chain once again onto workers.
 
Trade union and informal worker representatives stressed that climate adaptation must include worker voice, social protection and income security, particularly for women workers and those in the informal economy who face severe financial shocks when temperatures rise. Due diligence must go beyond policies and audits to include real-time monitoring, enforceable health and safety standards and purchasing practices that allow flexibility when conditions become dangerous.
 
IndustriALL general secretary, Atle Høie, reinforced that climate resilience is inseparable from trade union rights, warning that solutions will fail if workers are excluded.

“We have to be very honest: we are very short on protection today. The production of our clothes happens in countries where heat is becoming a serious health issue and where trade unions hardly have a place. If you fight the existence of trade unions, you will never find solutions to these problems because the people experiencing them every day must be at the table. Trade union rights are a fundamental human right.”

He added that workers cannot be expected to shoulder the costs of adaptation. Brands, factory owners and ultimately consumers must share responsibility and scalable models such as the International Accord system are being developed to ensure shared costs and stronger health and safety protections, including addressing heat stress as a core workplace issue.