Amazon offers case study about addressing workplace harassment through the Amader Kotha Helpline

Workplace harassment and labor rights concerns are recognized risks in the Bangladesh garment industry. Amazon Private Brands requires suppliers to implement worker voice programs to help suppliers’ conformance with Amazon Supply Chain Standards ensuring workers have accessible, confidential channels to raise concerns. A garment factory in Bangladesh that supplies Amazon Private Brands adopted the Amader Kotha (“Our Voice”) Helpline, a confidential, toll-free reporting channel operated in partnership with Nirapon, an industry-led organization focused on worker and workplace safety. Recently, when workers at the factory used the helpline to report verbal abuse and intimidation, the factory took action to remediate all cases within 30 days. This case study shows how an independent helpline can successfully surface issues to factory management and help them to respond effectively, providing a safer and more respectful work environment.

Workers, many of them women, experienced verbal abuse, intimidation, and excessive pressure from supervisors. The challenge was not that the factory was unwilling to act, but that management often did not know the problem existed. Like many factories in the sector, internal reporting mechanisms had not yet built sufficient worker trust to surface sensitive concerns. Workers feared retaliation if they reported directly to management. Information raised through internal mechanisms such as suggestion boxes and welfare departments was not systematically escalated to senior decision-makers, meaning concerns went unaddressed when workers attempted to use them.

Unaddressed harassment can cause harm to workers, leading to psychological distress, anxiety, and increased sick days. Research shows that workplace harassment in garment factories can also lead to increased worker turnover, higher absenteeism, reduced productivity, and deterioration of product quality. The factory needed a trusted channel that would surface issues before they escalated.

With Amazon Private Brands actively supporting the implementation of worker voice programs across its supply chain, the factory enrolled in the Amader Kotha Helpline – part of a collaboration between Amazon, Nirapon, and the factory – a confidential worker reporting channel in Bangladesh enabling workers to raise workplace concerns, particularly where internal mechanisms have not resolved the issue or when workers feel unable to raise concerns through existing factory processes. Trained helpline officers receive calls, document concerns, notify factory management, and follow up with workers to confirm that the issue has been addressed.

Protecting worker safety and anonymity

Worker confidentiality is a fundamental principle of the Amader Kotha Helpline and Nirapon. Worker names, phone numbers, and personally identifiable information are only shared with factory management when permission is expressly granted by the worker. The helpline operates under the WEST Principles (Worker Engagement Supported by Technology, launched by Humanity United alongside tech providers as industry guidelines for technology-driven worker engagement). Key safeguards include:

Defined processes and procedures

The helpline’s process establishes defined response timelines based on issue severity, escalation protocols, and worker confirmation that the concern was addressed before cases are closed. In this instance, upon notification of the allegations of harassment, factory management investigated the reported cases and took action through its own internal processes. For example, the factory provided counseling on appropriate workplace behavior and confirmed behavioral improvement with the reporting workers. Amader Kotha helpline officers independently followed up with workers to verify they were satisfied with the outcome. The helpline’s role was to surface the concern and maintain worker confidentiality. The specific remediation approach was determined by the factory in accordance with its own policies. The caller reported that she and all the workers in her section were happy with the decision and thanked the Helpline.

Within 30 days, the factory investigated and took action on the cases reported via the helpline, demonstrating how an independent, confidential reporting channel can help surface workplace issues and enable appropriate remediation action.

Key takeaways