Transformation Through Transparency

Transparentem envisions a sustainable world that is just and equitable for all workers and their communities.

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About Us

Transparentem transforms industries by allying with workers and communities to uncover abuses in global supply chains and drive labor and environmental justice.

Our in-depth investigations reveal evidence of endemic exploitation—child and forced labor, severe pollution and environmental degradation, and gender-based violence—at all tiers of the supply chain. We then bring our findings to companies, pushing them to play a critical role in the immediate and long-term remediation of abuses at the worksites where they source their products. Through our engagements with brands, policymakers, regulators, investors, and activists, we catalyze fundamental improvements to policy and practice and ensure tangible justice is brought to some of the world’s most marginalized populations.

We are philanthropically funded by foundations and individuals and tax-exempt in the United States under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

The photos included on this website are solely illustrative and do not represent any specific company, person, or group of people discussed on the site.

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Latest Reports & Projects

India
Opportunities and Challenges in India’s Cotton Sector
Published: July 2024 Transparentem is presenting an interim report on opportunities and challenges in the Indian cotton sector to encourage more stakeholders to engage in the positive developments highlighted within the report. We plan to publish a comprehensive report in November 2024, detailing our findings and the responsive actions and commitments made by private sector actors and other key entities....
Mauritius
“I Came Here with So Many Dreams”: Labor Rights Abuses & the Need for Change in Mauritius’ Apparel Factories
Overview Ahmed* (a pseudonym), a Bangladeshi migrant worker, regretted his decision to leave his home country for R.E.A.L Garments, an apparel manufacturer in Mauritius. He borrowed a substantial sum—$2,300—to pay the recruitment fees and related costs his agent charged him. After he arrived in Mauritius, he earned substantially less than his agent had promised, and it took him years to...
Malaysia
Varied Responses from Companies Implicated in Transparentem’s Third Investigation in Malaysia; More Work to be Done
In late 2019, Transparentem began its third investigation into labor abuses in Malaysia’s garment industry. In this investigation, Transparentem interviewed around 45 migrant workers from Bangladesh, Nepal, and Indonesia across three garment manufacturers. As in its earlier projects, Transparentem found that workers at the three investigated factories experienced abuses including possible debt bondage related to the payment of recruitment fees,...

Latest News

At the 2024 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Forum, Transparentem hosted a side...
Major fashion brands including Barbour and PVH (the owner of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger)...
Fashion Brands to Compensate Garment Workers in Mauritius: Leading fashion brands, including Barbour and PVH,...
MAURITIUS – Leading brands including PVH, which owns Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, have agreed...

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