We believe forced labor is a solvable world problem
Globally, 27.6 million people are trapped in forced labor conditions (Walk Free 2023), with debt bondage identified as a leading cause.
Migrant workers are especially vulnerable to forced labor because the migrant labor market is highly fragmented, giving way to abusive practices. Many recruitment agencies and training centers charge workers excessive and/or illegal fees but do little to prepare them for their work and life overseas. Workers get into debt to pay these fees, leaving them trapped in jobs with often poor working conditions that they are unable to leave.
But we believe forced labor is solvable! At Fair, we are driving system change and setting an ethical standard for migrant recruitment.
Fair's mission is to build market-driven solutions to end forced labor and to create better outcomes for both workers and employers across Asia. Watch a 6-minute introduction to our work in the video below.
Our Solutions
Fair addresses the supply and demand of migrant labor. We offer an end-to-end solution to drive change in the migrant recruitment system.
The migration process is complex, with different actors and touch points that make migrant workers vulnerable to financial exploitation while doing a disservice to employers. In the Fair Model for recruitment, we shift the incentive structure and realign the market to enable greater accountability to and transparency for workers and employers alike.
Since 2014, we have been building solutions designed to prevent forced labor situations and create inclusive, fair, and competitive local labor markets across the Asia region. Our interventions include the following Fair entities:
Fair Employment Agency is an employment agency and nonprofit social enterprise that is driving industry standards for hiring migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong.
As we do not charge fees to workers, our focus is on being transparent and trustworthy, and making responsible matches between employers and workers. By providing the highest service quality, we become the best employment agency and gain influence to change the system from within.
Fair Training Center is a non-profit in the Philippines preparing migrant workers for life and work overseas. Our program is deemed the gold standard for worker training by the International Labour Organisation in the Philippines. We cover practical topics, including:
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Financial literacy and planning in order to reach your personal goals of migration
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Professionalism; Communicating and working well with employers
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Rights education and understanding your employment contract
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Adapting to a new environment and culture
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Dealing with difficult situations and homesickness
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Parenting and managing family relationships from abroad
Through Honest Jobs, we fund, support, and mentor mission-aligned employment agencies. This way, we replicate Fair's ethical recruitment approach and accelerate the growth of like-minded enterprises that are best positioned to make an impact in their local context. This also creates a network of ethical recruitment solutions that work together in close partnership to drive market change across Asia.