Embode

🦸🏽♀️What makes Eswari Krishnadas invaluable? ⭐It is her sharp ability to translate complex legal compliance and theories into a scalable business action plan. As the legal landscape of migration and foreign employment faces continual change, supply chain businesses, especially SMEs, struggle to keep up. With an extensive background in Public Policy and Corporate Governance in labour rights and migration, Eswari is an expert at deconstructing intricate legal compliance requirements into practical business plans that supply chain businesses can realistically implement. As an Associate Consultant at Embode, Eswari provides strategic consultancy to supply chain businesses in South and Southeast Asia. She delivers training for supply chain businesses throughout India and Malaysia focused on grievance mechanisms, responsible recruitment, and meaningful worker engagement. After her postgraduate studies in Public Policy and Governance, Eswari has worked with civil society organisations in Asia and collaborated with UN agencies, research institutions, government bodies and the private sector on labour rights, migration and business and human rights. Currently based in India, Eswari provides a strategic presence for our clients with operations in the region, leading qualitative research, capacity-building training, and human rights impact assessments. Read her full bio here: https://lnkd.in/gu92d2dp Explore Embode’s work: Embode.co

Last December, we launched the 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲 in #Malaysia 🇲🇾 as part of the AIM-Progress APAC Hub activities, delivered in collaboration with Embode and IOM Malaysia. The programme includes 𝟱 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 and 𝟭 𝗶𝗻-𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲 in Kuala Lumpur, titled “𝘽𝙚𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚: 𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙍𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙈𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙨𝙞𝙖𝙣 𝙎𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙡𝙮 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨.” It is kindly sponsored by Nestlé, Unilever, Kerry, The Hershey Company, Mondelēz International, The HEINEKEN Company, and Carlsberg Group. 📊A key component of the programme is the 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (M&E) baseline led by Quizrr, which helps assess supplier maturity on Human Rights Due Diligence (#HRDD), training experience, and knowledge levels to better understand and strengthen programme impact. So far, 132 (out of 324) suppliers completed it, primarily from the packaging & manufacturing, as well as processing and raw materials sectors. 💡Early insights show strong potential for impact: many suppliers already understand the basics of responsible sourcing but are looking for more practical guidance on how to strengthen management systems and programs to make them effective . The upcoming in-person event on 𝟮𝟴 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗞𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗮 𝗟𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘂𝗿 aims to:  • Increase awareness of 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗛𝗥𝗗𝗗 and their implications for Malaysian businesses, particularly regarding responsible recruitment and migrant workers  • Share 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀, 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 to inspire action  • Foster 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 and 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀 to address shared challenges and move HRDD forward in Malaysian supply chains Alongside the training programme, we will also host additional APAC Hub activities for AIM-Progress members, including:  • A 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀, in collaboration with The North South Initiative, a Malaysian NGO, facilitated by Embode  • A 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 ��𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 actively engaged with the #Ganapati Initiative - implemented by Embode - to learn from their experience 🤝 We look forward to engaging conversations and meaningful progress together. For more information, please contact Yael Fattal Lariccia. Leanne Melnyk , Priscila Palomares

The recently published 2026 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 investigates the reality of forced labour in the global supply chain and assesses the efforts of top Food and Beverage companies to combat these issues. The report is delivered by KnowTheChain, a Business and Human Rights Centre programme presenting corporate approaches to the prevention and remedy of forced labour conditions.  We are delighted that Know the Chain has highlighted Embode’s Ganapati Initiative as a best-practice model. The Hershey Company and Unilever were presented as industry leaders in addressing forced labour. Through the Ganapati Initiative, their suppliers based in Thailand and Malaysia were equipped with the capability to implement responsible recruitment and worker engagement practices. The Ganapati Initiative developed tailored capability-building action plan for each of the supply chain businesses that developed:  🟢 Robust Systems for Grievance Mechanisms and Remediation 🟢 Foreign Employment Processes that upholds Employer Pays Principle  🟢 Pre and Post Arrival Trainings 🟢 Safe Working Conditions The Ganapati Initiative is being implemented across Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia across all sectors of manufacturing, from food and other fast-moving goods, to packaging, electronics, and more. To find out more, please get in touch. Aarti Kapoor Laddawan Tamafu James Eckford Anca Popescu 🔗Read the Full Report: https://lnkd.in/gs7CVEij 🔗Learn more about the methodology: https://lnkd.in/gfdywiMm

🌟Our Executive Director, Aarti Kapoor, was a featured panellist at this year’s 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐑𝐒𝐎 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐦𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞 in Bangkok from 27 to 28 January 2026. The event convened senior officials from across the Asia Pacific to develop collaborative regional systems that countered human trafficking and irregular migration. Aarti joined the panel with Benjamin Harkins, Archana Kotecha, Nawin Santikarn, sara piazzano to look at reducing system vulnerability in labour mobility that drew examples from the fishing sector. 🎤Aarti shared key lessons learned from Embode’s experience on what makes access to grievance mechanisms effective. In her remarks, Aarti talked about: ✅️ Importance of ensuring workers trusted the systems where they could make grievances, and pointed to the existence of informal mechanisms often being more effective. ✅️ Commended Embassies that have Labour Attachés in labour destination countries. Communication and collaboration with service providers, across medical, social and legal support, is of paramount importance. ✅️ Invited government representatives to think about what networks and system behaviours they wanted to enable, and what they wanted to disable, when devising new policies and regulations. Regional Support Office of the Bali Process International Labour Organization The Remedy Project, Humantics

❓𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧? "We strongly recommend that buyers take sustainability and responsible business conduct into account when evaluating suppliers to create a healthier supply chain." 🎙During a recent interview, Mr. Dung Le Tuan, founder of Anh Minh Technology Trading Co., Ltd , voiced a challenge that many in the industry are feeling. He noted that the traditional "lowest bid" approach often penalises the very suppliers who are doing the right thing. When a competitor offers a cheaper price by saving costs, such as by not paying for the social insurance of their workers, it creates an uneven playing field that compromises the sustainability of the supply chain. AMT specialises in the manufacturing of industrial equipment and machinery in Vietnam and is participating in the Ganapati Initiative to strengthen their HRDD capability. We believe it is time for a pivot toward suppliers who prioritise Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) and move away from procurement decisions that carry legal, operational, and reputational risks. By guaranteeing long-term partnership to ethical supply chain businesses, we can move toward a resilient supply chain. Aarti Kapoor Anca Popescu #ListeningtoSuppliers

🤔 Did you know?    80 per cent migrant workers in 🇹🇭, including in the FMCG sector are hired through walk-in recruitment process.   With a large number of migrant workers powering 🇹🇭 supply chains in this sector, IOM, together with AIM-Progress, Embode and Quizrr, with support from Danone, Mars, Unilever, Nestlé and Kerry, organized a dialogue where 150+ Thai suppliers came together to discuss how we can: 🟢 Translate emerging human rights due diligence requirements into operational practices 🟢 Enhance responsible recruitment in walk-in contexts  🟢 Advance industry-wide efforts to respect the rights of migrant workers    Read more: bit.ly/3ZpiRJ0

On 4 February 2026, AIM-Progress, together with IOM Thailand, Embode and Quizrr will bring suppliers, brands, policymakers, civil society and migrant worker representatives together in Bangkok 🇹🇭 for an in-person dialogue on: 🧭 Human Rights Due Diligence in Action: Advancing Responsible Walk-In Recruitment in Thai Supply Chains In Thailand, walk-in recruitment accounts for over 80% of migrant worker recruitment. While it offers flexibility for both businesses and workers, it also creates specific risks that require clear guidance, practical tools and stronger collaboration across supply chains. 🔎 This dialogue will focus on: 👉 translating emerging HRDD requirements into concrete action 👉 sharing real-world experiences and lessons from suppliers and industry peers 👉 identifying practical approaches to strengthen responsible recruitment in walk-in contexts 🗣️ The discussion will also feature insights on recent regulatory developments from Ms Nareeluc Pairchaiyapoom (Ministry of Justice) and Ms Audrey-Anne Rochelemagne (EU Delegation to Thailand), alongside perspectives from supply chain actors on what these developments mean in practice. This event is part of the AIM-Progress Supplier Capability-Building Programme in Thailand (Year 2), with the support of Danone, Kerry, Mars, Nestlé and Unilever. 🤝 Advancing responsible recruitment starts with practical conversations and shared solutions. For more information see here: https://lnkd.in/eYUanJ8s Any questions, please contact Yael Fattal Lariccia Barbara Wettstein, Poramintorn Vongtrirat, PhD, Supavadee (Pink) Chotikajan, Jess Verdon, Virginie Chouzenoux, Meghna Vadivel, Ken Moo, Emma Daly, Muhammad Kasyfunnur