Last month, staff from Verité’s independent regional offices, Verité China and Verité Southeast Asia, and long-term network partner Sheva Nari O Shishu Kallyan Kendra from Bangladesh, joined staff from Verité in Amherst for a week-long summit to strengthen Verité’s global network. The regional offices, network partners who were able to take part in the event, and Verité Amherst staff were able to share the pioneering work they are undertaking in areas such as the garment industry, on worker empowerment and wellbeing programs, and as members of the Thai Seafood Task Force. These meetings gave staff a chance to update each other their current work on topics including ethical recruitment, construction, agriculture, and palm oil.
Verité Southeast Asia staff member Antonette Marcella was excited to have the chance to discuss her work with colleagues. “I was very pleased to explore the wealth of information, capability, experience, and generosity of the Verité global network in our journey to make workplaces safe and fair,” she said.
Verité has been growing as we take on new engagements and this summit was a chance for many new staff to put a face to the person behind the email address. “Meeting the cohort of new hires was very inspiring,” said Sayeeda Khan, CEO of Sheva Nari O Shishu Kallyan Kendra. “I admire the positive energy amongst all the great men and women who have contributed to our work. Having worked with Verité for many years, it has been wonderful to witness the organization’s growth on a global level.”
Not only was this a chance for staff to learn from and connect with colleagues from different locations, but it also facilitated sharing among staff from different departments such as training, assessments, and research. It was valuable to hear how each department targets similar issues through different methods.
Verité’s CEO, Shawn MacDonald, was the driving force behind this convening. “Verité’s value to our clients and partners comes primarily from our people, who combine deep experience with supply chains with unparalleled commitment to advancing workers’ rights and well-being,” he said. “Although we’re all in touch seemingly 24/7 by email and Skype, there is no substitute for coming together in person to share insights, debate the best way to achieve change, and compare perspectives from our different parts of the world. We have fresh ideas and enthusiasm for working together and expanding our impact across many sectors and on the full range of labor challenges. We look forward to bringing together additional network members in the near future in Asia.”