Natural stone

The extraction of natural stones such as sandstone, granite and marble is often associated with poor working conditions and violations of fundamental workers’ rights in South Asia. In India, many people engaged in the natural stone supply chain come from caste-affected communities, which are particularly vulnerable to exploitation due to their marginalised status in society.    

Working in stone quarries and in stone processing sites is hazardous and unhealthy. Informal labour is often the norm, depriving workers of access to vital social security benefits. Debt bondage is widespread in this industry, and child labour is pervasive. Workers’ dependency on employers significantly weakens their negotiating position, while the presence of trade unions is minimal. As a result, workers encounter significant challenges in asserting their rights. 

Arisa highlights these critical issues and brings them to the attention of companies and European governments, including through the publication of research on natural stone supply chains. 

Arisa is an active participant in TruStone Initiative is a sector-wide collaboration focused on improving social and environmental conditions in natural stone extraction and processing. As part of the initiative, Arisa is a source of information and facilitates contact between civil society organisations and trade unions in producer countries, and Dutch and Flemish importers and municipal governments.