Supply Chain Interventons
The Supply Chain Innovation Fund
Understanding Cycles of Vulnerability in the Labor Market
A lack of transparency and traceability creates hurdles for multinational corporations in addressing forced labor and labor exploitation in their supply chains. While transparency requires the knowledge of business practices that occur upstream in the supply chain, traceability is the means to follow the product as it progresses through the supply chain, from raw materials to end-use. We believe labor vulnerabilities can be identified and addressed by taking steps to achieve a transparent supply chain that allows for product traceability.
Where We Invest
Working Capital funds a broad range of interventions that address or prevent systemic labor exploitation. Our portfolio comprises tools used by multinational companies to engage with suppliers and directly with workers, as well as tools that meet the needs of regulators, retail customers, investors, and other diverse stakeholders.
We back interventions that can achieve three dimensions of performance: impact for workers, at scale, while providing sustained revenue. Impact for workers is intentionally first in this list; we only align with investment opportunities that have potential for – or have demonstrated – high-quality impact. Of course, this is a rapidly changing space, and Working Capital balances the quality of portfolio companies’ impact with commercial potential.
At Working Capital, we identify opportunities to accelerate the development and deployment of innovative, market-based solutions to meet the growing corporate need to protect vulnerable workers and source responsibly. To do this, we invest in early-stage companies led by bold, inspiring entrepreneurs.
We are open to new possibilities and eager to explore emerging, disruptive technologies that can help companies improve working conditions in their global supply chains. We hope to hear from entrepreneurs with innovative ideas about how we can collaborate to build a better, more responsible future.
The Fund is operating and investing in a space within venture capital and technology innovation that is experiencing significant growth, increased market opportunity and strong investment tailwinds.
Understanding The Numbers
Percent
of global employment is considered ‘vulnerable employment‘
Million
lives are lost each year due to poor occupational safety and health costs
Million
people suffer from non-fatal work injuries each year
Commonly Used Goods
are produced using forced or child labor
Million
children are estimated to be victims of child labor.
Percent
of global trade is in complicated, opaque supply chains that enable forced labor and human trafficking
Percent
of all forced labor are women
Million
people are forced into labor with hundreds of millions more subject to other labor exploitation and vulnerability