Supporting migrant workers in Malaysia

South-east Asia is a central hub for the medical glove industry, with Malaysia and Thailand producing 83 per cent of the global supply. When Asker began conducting audits of third-party manufacturers in the region in 2013, the Group identified significant health and safety risks for migrant workers employed in glove manufacturing facilities. 

Early investigations revealed that migrant workers in Malaysian and Thai facilities often come from neighbouring countries and do what are known as “3D jobs”: dirty, dangerous and difficult. At the same time they suffer discrimination, poor living conditions and exploitation. Migrant workers are also at risk of incurring unreasonable recruitment fees, which place them in a form of debt bondage that restricts their freedom to leave their jobs.

To address these issues, Asker partnered with Verité, an independent, non-profit civil society organisation specialising in global labour rights, in 2015. The risk for forced labour within Malaysian third-party manufacturers was assessed, identifying issues such as discrimination, unsanitary living conditions, recruitment fees and passport retention.

Tangible improvements for workers

Through collaboration with Verité, Asker improved its ability to identify risks of forced labour and implement corrective measures. The audits of all third-party manufacturers included direct engagement with factory management, monitoring progress on corrective action plans and clearly communicating Asker’s standards and expectations. In one instance, a third-party manufacturer refused to comply with Asker’s standards, leading to the termination of the relationship. As a result of these efforts, tangible improvements were achieved, such as investments in worker housing, with new, fit-for-purpose dormitories and secure storage for migrant workers’ personal belongings.

These efforts, coupled with experience working with third-party manufacturers to improve working conditions, led to the formation of the Responsible Glove Association (RGA), a multi-stakeholder initiative aimed at driving meaningful change in the industry. During 2024, Asker’s three largest third-party manufacturers and one supplier, which collectively provide more than 85 per cent of the medical gloves purchased by Asker, joined the RGA.

Further advanced efforts

In 2020, Asker further advanced these efforts by working with third-party manufacturers to compensate migrant workers for recruitment fees and related costs. The workers concerned received compensation for fees previously paid. Asker’s membership in the Responsible Business Alliance and Responsible Labour Initiative helped to align these efforts with the latest principles, guidelines and best practices. Interviews were conducted with a representative sample of the workers concerned to verify that the measures had had the expected effect.

Asker now continuously monitors the working conditions of workers in glove manufacturing, using the RBA’s Validated Assessment Program (VAP) and Speciality Validated Assessment Program (SVAP) on Forced Labour. By 2023, Asker’s third-party glove manufacturers in Malaysia had demonstrated significant improvements, and surpassed industry and country averages under the SVAP methodology.

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