The origins of the contents of much of our food, cosmetics and medicine, even things like our kitchen worktops, are difficult to trace.

These supply chains are complex, but follow them to their ends and you will often find social issues. The people working there are in what is often known as the informal sector – a place that is left unmonitored. Working conditions are often poor and employees may lack any benefits.

These workers don’t ask for much. Progress for them could be a bus to take them from their accommodation to the plantation, quarry or factory they work at; or a bed, rather than the floor, to sleep on; but mainly, they just want to be treated with respect; the kind of respect we would all like to be treated with ourselves.

Our Respect Programme is based on principles which aim to provide a framework for our engagement with companies on human rights. These principles apply to the companies we work with, their direct and indirect suppliers and sub-contractors, as well as all workers, including contract temporary, subcontracted and migrant workers, as well as all sites.