Could Retail Link Improve Worker Safety?

The Wall Street Journal quoted 8th & Walton’s Jeff Clapper saying that Retail Link helps the company work with suppliers to maintain cost and quality. Dara O’Rourke, an associate professor at  the University of California at Berkeley and the founder of GoodGuide, claims that the same technology could be used to keep track of indicators like worker turnover or injuries in factories.

A spike in factors associated with factory disasters could trigger closer oversight of the factory in question, O’Rourke suggested, perhaps allowing such disasters to be avoided.

In fact, capturing that data systematically could help identify signs of trouble more effectively, potentially leading to increased worker safety across the board.

O’Rourke is currently engaged in research on global supply chains, with particular focus on ethical sourcing and sustainability. Walmart’s Global Responsibility Report makes it clear that the company is concerned about these issues.