MY Voice seeks to increase worker voice in social compliance systems, increase access to remedy for forced labor and child labor, and help improve communication and coordination between local actors to better identify, remediate, and prevent cases of forced and child labor in the garment and palm oil industries in Malaysia. 

The objectives for this project are:

• Increase advocacy by workers and civil society to address forced labor and/or child labor​
• Increase worker voice in the implementation of a social compliance system ​
• Increase access to remedies for workers exploited for forced labor and/or child labor​

Just Good Work Malaysia: Experience an Improved App (Coming Soon!)

The MY Voice team and our technology parter, Fifty Eight, are making improvements to the Just Good Work (JGW) app, including updating its information and improving accessibility.

JGW is a free mobile app for workers, businesses, trade unions, civil society organizations, and migrant communities. Use the app to:

• Engage with and inform workers about their rights and obligations
• Implement responsible recruitment practices
• Provide a safe and confidential way to report grievances
• Reduce labor risks related to work and employment, from the start of a worker’s recruitment journey

Updates include:

• Adding information for workers in Sabah and Sarawak
• Updating information from the Malaysian Employment (Amendment) Act 2022, including: paternity leave, flexible work arrangements, maximum of 45 working hours, and coverage for all employees
• Adding information regarding forced labor and child labor
• Adding Tamil language (written and audio formats) to the existing 8 in-app languages (Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Malaysia, Bengali, Burmese, English, Hindi, Nepali, Vietnamese)

MY Voice Onboards Private Sector Partners

My Voice recently welcomed two garment manufacturers as official Private Sector Partners (PSPs) to the project! One of the project's key objectives is to raise the capacity of PSPs to implement worker voice-based social compliance systems (SCS). Over the course of the project, PSPs work closely with the MY Voice team to pilot and implement a worker voice-based SCS in their operations and supply chain. 

To engage employers in the project, MY Voice presented at events such as the Federation of Malaysian Fashion Textiles & Apparels' (FMFTA) monthly hybrid meeting and the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Conference, among others.

Photo: Franklin Heijnen

Public and Civil Sector Meetings Raise Awareness of Project in Sabah

In March, the MY Voice team visited Sabah and held a series of meetings with civil society organizations (CSOs), palm oil industry stakeholders, and government agencies to introduce the project and work towards alignment with Sabah’s needs. 

The team presented to the Sabah Jurisdictional Certification Steering Committee (JCSC) Labor Working Group, focusing on how MY Voice can support Sabah's goal of statewide RSPO certification though social compliance systems, capacity building on child labor and forced labor, roll out of worker voice technology, and access to remedy. 

My Voice also engaged with relevant CSOs such as Sabah Human Rights Centre, Child Learning Centers and Alternative Learning Centers, CSO Platform for Reform (Sabah Chapter), Advocates for Non-discrimination and Access to Knowledge (ANAK), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Wild Asia, BCI, and Stairway to Hope Tuition Centre.

Worker Inclusion as Part of Social Responsibility

The MY Voice Project and Fair Labor Association (FLA) will co-host a one-and-a-half-day workshop on practical approaches for integrating worker voice in management systems for employers in the palm oil industry in Kuala Lumpur on 27th–28th July 2023 and in Sandakan on 31st July–1st August 2023. Successful inclusion of worker voice allows businesses to thrive while upholding social responsibility and decent working conditions. Responsible business practices can create inclusive work culture, drive productivity, increase market demand and enhance brand reputation and stakeholder trust.

Funding is provided by the United States Department of Labor under cooperative agreement number IL-37321-21-75-K. 100% of the total costs of the project is financed with USG federal funds, for a total of $5,000,000 dollars. This material does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the United States Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the United States Government.