Building Trust in Supply Chains: Why Human Connection matters!

Last week, I had a powerful 52-minute conversation with a colleague reflecting on something I’ve witnessed for over two decades:

Sustainable supply chains are built on relationships, not dashboards.

In our discussion, we explored two critical areas for companies navigating Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) and ESG implementation:

1️⃣ Supplier Engagement

2️⃣ Practical Grievance Mechanisms

Here are my key reflections from the call:

1. Supplier Engagement is Human Engagement

• Suppliers don’t respond to mandates; they respond to being heard.
• In India (and across much of the Global South), business and family are the same. A conversation about a factory often starts with a conversation about the family behind it.
• When companies take the time to listen, respect the supplier’s journey, and discuss the real challenges (from raw material volatility to local labor realities), trust is built.
• Local coaching works. Having someone on the ground who understands culture and language—bridging “Western expectations” and “Eastern realities”—can turn resistance into collaboration.

2. Grievance Mechanisms Must Be Real, Not Decorative

• Fancy apps and hotlines often fail in rural supply chains. Workers may not have phones, may not answer unknown numbers, or simply don’t trust anonymous systems.
• Dialogue is the real technology. Regular small-group conversations, where workers see problems get solved—hot water in winter, lighter safety shoes, or lost documentation—builds trust faster than any anonymous hotline.
• Multiple channels are essential: in-person dialogue, local female facilitators for women’s voices, and simple on-site solutions.

3. Trust Multiplies Impact When suppliers see their voice leads to action—and that issues aren’t treated as audits—they open up. When workers see small changes implemented, they start believing in the system.

I’ll leave you with the simplest insight from years of supply chain work:

Human connection is the real lever for sustainable change!

Dashboards and reports are important, but they only work when built on a foundation of dialogue, empathy, and practical action on the ground.