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Integrating area-based and supply chain approaches<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n Supply chain interventions<\/strong> Kristof T\u2019Sjoen, Stone NV: \u201cFrom the start, we knew that working one-on-one\u2014with just one supplier and one buyer\u2014wouldn\u2019t be enough. Real impact requires joining forces across the entire chain: importers, exporters, manufacturers, cobble yards, home workers\u2014even competitors.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n Concrete improvements at Bundi Silica\u2019s factory include:<\/p>\n Kristof Callebaut, Brachot: \u201cAwareness around PPE has improved a lot. Accidents can happen in an instant\u2014but with the right protective gear, workers are much better protected.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n One of the workers who is a member of the grievance committee explains: \u201cThe grievance committee has become a vital platform for workers to speak up. It has resolved issues like poor drainage, unhygienic toilets, missing PF contributions, and supervisor behaviour.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Navneet Bansal, Bundi Silica: \u201cNow that the grievance committee has been functional for a while, we see that workers are more empowered; they are becoming more assertive and independent.\u201d<\/em> Improvements at the quarry level<\/strong> In addition to these efforts, the quarry has taken several proactive steps on its own initiative. These include the installation of a sewage treatment plant, the construction of a sheltered workspace for cobble workers with access to safe drinking water and toilets, and the establishment of a cr\u00e8che facility for workers\u2019 children.<\/p>\n Next up: improving conditions at cobble yards and homeworking set-ups Diewertje Heyl, Arisa: \u201cA lot of progress has been made, but we are not there yet. The next step is to improve conditions in the cobble yards and homeworking setups where many women work\u2014to ensure they receive fair wages and decent working conditions,\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n As part of this next phase, a joint visit by Arisa, Stone NV, and Brachot to Rajasthan included a key stakeholder meeting on 9 September. The meeting brought together cobble yard owners, importers, exporters, and civil society organisations to kick off improvement efforts in the cobblestone supply chains of Stone NV and Brachot. The focus: improving labour conditions in cobble yards and among home-based workers. Encouragingly, 10 cobble yards have committed to participating in this joint improvement initiative\u2014marking a significant step forward in addressing some of the most challenging parts of the supply chain. <\/p>\n
The area-based approach tackles the root causes of child labour by strengthening child protection systems and promoting the norm that every child should be in school, not at work. It involves coordinated action by teachers, local authorities, employers, parents, and children. Alongside this, the supply chain approach focuses on human rights due diligence and the active engagement of international companies and their suppliers to drive systematic improvements in adult working conditions across the supply chain.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/arisa.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/cobble-yard-1024x768.jpeg\")
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Belgian companies Stone NV and Brachot have been working with Arisa and Indian partners to improve employment and working conditions in their supply chains. This ongoing initiative began with a comprehensive risk assessment conducted at both direct supplier sites and further down the chain\u2014reaching all the way to quarries and cobble yards. Based on the findings, a tailored improvement plan was developed. This plan has already been successfully implemented at a shared supplier factory \u2013 Bundi Silica and is now being rolled out at the company\u2019s quarry site.<\/p>\n\n
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Since June 2025, a structured improvement programme has been underway at the quarry site, which employs around 600 people. Senior and middle management have received training on business and human rights, as well as relevant labour regulations, while workers have undergone initial training on occupational health and safety. A process is currently in progress to establish a grievance committee, a safety committee, and an accommodation committee. <\/p>\n\n
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