Helpful Resources

We’ve developed a set of resources to facilitate the adoption of responsible business practices.

The research, tools, and initiatives in this section are freely available, and have been designed to effectively support improvements in working conditions. These tools can be implemented within any business – and if you would expert guidance, we are here to assist. Feel free to distribute this information throughout your organisation.
Resources developed by Partner Africa

Resources developed by
Partner Africa

Living Wages In Africa: Learnings from the AIM-Progress Africa Hub Pilot Project On Living Wages
LEARNING PAPER

Living Wages In Africa: Learnings from the AIM-Progress Africa Hub Pilot Project On Living Wages

Read the topline findings and learnings of our pilot project across Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya & South Africa, designed to support a better understanding of living wage gaps for workers across African supply chains and to inform effective engagement with suppliers on living wages.

In October 2022, the AIM-Progress Africa Hub, with the support of Partner Africa, kicked off the pilot following the IDH roadmap steps 1-3. The pilot project was designed to engage AIM-Progress Africa Hub Members’ suppliers on the journey to paying a living wage.

Worker's Rights Explainer Video
EXPLAINER VIDEO

Worker's Rights Explainer

This video helps T&A factory workers in Kenya understand their rights and responsibilities at the workplace. It has been developed by Partner Africa as part of the ‘Fit for export: Towards a socially responsible Kenyan Textile and Apparel Industry’ project. The Fit4Export 2022 project seeks to work with local T&A firms in support of an industry geared towards export with high quality products, made in decent working conditions that meet globally recognised social standards, with the long- term objective to improve their competitiveness on the global manufacturing map and develop a responsible apparel industry in Kenya. The project is fully funded by the IDH as part of their IN Sustainable Textile and Apparel Parks (INSTEP) programme, which is a collaborative approach to step up the sustainable production of textiles and apparel via the scale of Industrial Parks, reaching multiple factories and shared facilities, with assessment and interventions to reduce environmental impact (better environment) and improve working conditions (better jobs).

Toolkit for Textiles and Apparel factories in Kenya helping their businesses grow sustainably and getting fit for export
TOOLKIT

Toolkit for Textiles and Apparel factories in Kenya helping their businesses grow sustainably and getting fit for export

This toolkit provides practical guidance on improving productivity, quality and decent working conditions for factories operating in Kenya’s Textile and Apparel Industry. It has been developed by Partner Africa as part of the ‘Fit for export: Towards a socially responsible Kenyan Textile and Apparel Industry’ project. The Fit4Export 2022 project seeks to work with local T&A firms in support of an industry geared towards export with high quality products, made in decent working conditions that meet globally recognised social standards, with the long- term objective to improve their competitiveness on the global manufacturing map and develop a responsible apparel industry in Kenya. The project is fully funded by the IDH as part of their IN Sustainable Textile and Apparel Parks (INSTEP) programme, which is a collaborative approach to step up the sustainable production of textiles and apparel via the scale of Industrial Parks, reaching multiple factories and shared facilities, with assessment and interventions to reduce environmental impact (better environment) and improve working conditions (better jobs).

Trade brief for brands sourcing textiles and apparel from Kenya
TRADE BRIEF

Trade brief for brands sourcing textiles and apparel from Kenya

This trade brief is written for brands and retailers with current or potential interest in sourcing Textiles and Apparel from Kenya. It provides a high-level overview of the T&A trade environment in Kenya and the salient human rights risks that should inform sustainable sourcing strategies.  It has been developed by Partner Africa as part of the ‘Fit for export: Towards a socially responsible Kenyan Textile and Apparel Industry’ project. The Fit4Export 2022 project seeks to work with local T&A firms in support of an industry geared towards export with high quality products, made in decent working conditions that meet globally recognised social standards, with the long- term objective to improve their competitiveness on the global manufacturing map and develop a responsible apparel industry in Kenya. The project is fully funded by the IDH as part of their IN Sustainable Textile and Apparel Parks (INSTEP) programme, which is a collaborative approach to step up the sustainable production of textiles and apparel via the scale of Industrial Parks, reaching multiple factories and shared facilities, with assessment and interventions to reduce environmental impact (better environment) and improve working conditions (better jobs).
Learning Paper: Gender-sensitive Auditing Pilot Project
LEARNING PAPER

Gender-sensitive Auditing Pilot Project

Read this learning paper to discover the outcome of this gender-sensitive project – a project that adapted the Smeta audit methodology to effectively identify and address gender issues in global supply chains. The paper delves into pressing issues around how current social auditing methodologies can be adapted to better recognise and tackle the unique challenges faced by women in global supply chains.

The paper also offers valuable insights into, and practical recommendations for, Sedex, suppliers, buyers, auditors, and auditing bodies, to empower the most vulnerable people engaged in African supply chains. Join us in our mission to champion gender equality and fair labour practices throughout the supply chain.

Download our learning paper now and be a part of shaping a more equitable and sustainable future for all.

Responsible Business Conduct for Uganda's Honey & Beeswax Sector
Responsible business guide for honey and bees
RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS GUIDE

Responsible Business Conduct for Uganda's Honey & Beeswax Sector

How are bee product companies in Africa able to ensure responsible sourcing across their supply chain?

The guide outlines good practice in relation to responsible business
and human rights due diligence, providing practical advice and tools. It has been developed as a resource for use across the African continent – for Africa-based bee product suppliers, civil society actors and researchers, and international businesses.

Human Rights Benchmark
USEFUL TOOL

Human Rights Benchmark

A benchmark for implementing a best practice human rights agenda in your business. Please get in touch at advisory@partnerafrica.org to receive a free copy of our self-assessment tool.
Business Toolkit
USEFUL TOOL

Business Toolkit

People are a core and valuable asset for every business and in order to have an efficient, productive business, employees need to work in good conditions. Good working conditions go hand in hand with productivity, quality and efficiency as essential elements of building a sustainable and resilient business.

This toolkit provides suppliers with practical assistance on how to improve in these areas: outlining why each issue is important to your business, what you need to do in practice and practical tools to support you as you make improvements. The Toolkit is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Chinese. It is also broken down into the individual chapters and a number of related tools and resources have been made available.

This toolkit is written and produced by Partner Africa, with the support of ABInBev, The Cola-Cola Company, Diageo and AIM-PROGRESS.

ESG Mining Guide
USEFUL TOOL

ESG Mining Guide

A beginner’s guide to responsible mining in Africa.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Agricultural Supply Chains in Africa
REPORT

The Impact of Covid-19 on Agricultural Supply Chains in Africa

This learning paper has been developed by Partner Africa, in collaboration with the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), to present the key trends and emerging themes of the impact of Covid-19 on suppliers and smallholder groups taking part in the ‘Securing workers’ rights in a Covid-19 context in East African agriculture supply chains’ project. The findings in this paper are drawn from the needs assessments undertaken with the project’s 12 suppliers.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Suppliers and Workers in Africa
REPORT

The Impact of Covid-19 on Suppliers and Workers in Africa

Since May 2020 Partner Africa and &Wider have been working with global businesses and their suppliers in the agri-business and textiles industries across Africa; to monitor the reality on the ground for both suppliers and their workers in relation to human rights risk and impact. This report outlines the findings from this research which included surveys with 7,425 workers and 297 managers and interviews with 31 key stakeholders.
POSTER: Health and Safety Risks Within African Supply Chains
USEFOOL TOOL

A poster: Health and Safety Risks Within African Supply Chains

Developed in partnership with the AIM-Progress Africa Hub, this poster sits alongside the more detailed guide, to provide a quick reference point for information on the Health and Safety landscape within South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, Nigeria Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Tanzania.
Identifying Salient Health and Safety Risks Within African Supply Chains
USEFOOL TOOL

Identifying Salient Health and Safety Risks Within African Supply Chains

Developed in partnership with the AIM-Progress Africa Hub, this guide seeks to provide information on the Health and Safety landscape within eight key sourcing countries in Africa: South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, Nigeria Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Tanzania. The guide is intended to be used by Risk & Governance teams, Responsible Sourcing leads, category buyers, and procurement teams when assessing the salient Health and Safety risks within their African supply chains.
Managing and mitigating outbreaks of COVID-19 in the workplace
USEFOOL TOOL

Managing and mitigating outbreaks of COVID-19 in the workplace

A resource pack has been developed by Partner Africa and the Ethical Trade Initiative (ETI) for African agricultural suppliers to support the management of COVID-19 outbreaks. It includes a range of checklists, tools and standard operating procedures.

Download the Resource Pack Guidance Sheet below, which provides guidance on how to use the pack, a summary of the resources available for you and how to use them in your workplace. Download the Procedure Flow below, which provides an overview of the process to follow in the event of a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19.

Please get in touch at advisory@partnerafrica.org to receive the combined workbook tool, the flowcharts and the awareness-raising posters and videos (available in English, Swahili, Shona and Amharic) as referred to in the guidance sheet.

Making Business Continuity Planning Easy & Accessible
USEFOOL TOOL

Making Business Continuity Planning Easy & Accessible

Together with Sentinel Africa, Partner Africa has have developed a practical guide for African suppliers in the agri-food sector to make Business Continuity Planning easy and accessible. Effective Business Continuity Planning is important as it helps suppliers manage internal and external risks and strengthen resilience against current and future shocks – such as COVID-19. This practical guide supports suppliers with implementing Business Continuity Planning in four steps by providing templates and tools and accessible guidance on how to use these materials. Download below. Please send an email to advisory@partnerafrica.org to receive the templates and tools referred to in the guide.

Securing workers' rights in a COVID-19 context in East African Agriculture Supply Chains
REPORT

Securing workers' rights in a COVID-19 context in East African Agriculture Supply Chains

This case study report has been developed by Partner Africa, in collaboration with the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) as part of the FCDO funded ‘Securing workers’ rights in a COVID-19 context in East African agriculture supply chains’ project, to give voice to workers who have benefitted from several project interventions in Kenya and Zimbabwe and illustrates what they have learned and why it was essential for them and their families. It also provides testimonies from suppliers’ management on how certain trainings have helped their businesses in strengthening resilience against COVID-19.
Recommendations for building back fairer from the COVID-19 pandemic
REPORT

Recommendations for building back fairer from the COVID-19 pandemic

This paper puts forward recommendations for building back fairer from the COVID-19 pandemic and creating a more sustainable and resilient flower supply chain in Kenya and across East Africa.


The recommendations are based on learning from the Building Resilience in Flower Supply Chains project – a partnership led by Fairtrade and MM Flowers to support workers during the COVID-19 crisis to meet their immediate needs, while also promoting a more sustainable flower sector to bolster long-term resilience.

Please get in touch at advisory@partnerafrica.org to receive a free copy of this poster.

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