Background

Grievance mechanisms are essential for fostering transparency, trust, and accountability within
the Cambodian Garment, Footwear, and Travel Goods (GFT) sector. From July 2023 to December
2024, Better Factories Cambodia (BFC) supported by GIZ FABRIC Cambodia, implemented a
project focused on strengthening grievance mechanisms in factories to improve industrial
relations. The project delivered capacity-building activities targeting 162 factories, including indepth training for 41 factories, and facilitated workshops for stakeholders such as unions,
industry groups, and government agencies.

Key Messages

• Grievance mechanisms have been proven to be an important tool in promoting trust,
  accountability, and in particular harmonious employer-employee relationships, in the
  Garment, Footwear and Travel Goods (GFT) sector in Cambodia.
• Advancing the promotion and implementation of grievance handling systems in factories has
  been shaped by both external and internal factors. Externally, compliance with national and
  international legal frameworks plays a key role. Internally, progress is driven by the
  recognition that effective grievance mechanisms serve as early warning systems to address
  issues before they escalate into complex disputes.
• The implementation of grievance handling mechanisms has faced several challenges. These
  include limited resources and capacity for broad outreach, low literacy and awareness among
  workers and inadequate conflict resolution skills among designated grievances handlers.
• To promote the implementation of grievance mechanisms more effectively across the
  factories in the sector, it is essential to provide a diverse range of capacity building
  programmes, including training and coaching to workers, workers’ representatives, and
  management that outline practical steps to help identify specific steps for action. Active
  participation from stakeholders, such as national institutions, international buyers,
  development partners, and support mechanisms is also vital. Additionally, providing
  incentives can encourage factories to adopt and sustain meaningful changes.
• Investing in digital applications can significantly enhance the implementation of grievance
  mechanisms in factories – provided it is supported by clear benchmarks to measure
  effectiveness, ongoing monitoring, and continuous support for workers, as well as worker
  and management representatives.