Most existing living wage research has focused on one specific commodity and region, however in the case of Eosta, an international distributor of organic fruits and vegetables, this detailed research approach is not feasible. With hundreds of suppliers all across the globe, there is a need for an easier methodology for assessing current wage gaps.
Eosta and IDH conducted a living wage research pilot looking into the organic avocado supply chain from Kenya. This research aimed to collect best practices and develop a more general and easy approach to assessing living wages.
The goal of the pilot, which was conducted in 2018 for a Kenyan avocado supplier, was to find out whether living wages could be used to improve social sustainability measurements. The pilot led to a new Quick Assessment method and showed that a focus on living wages can lead to better connections within the supply chain.