2023 was an eventful year for us, as we accelerated further – with highest ever injured workers assisted with their ESIC healthcare and compensation; opened our 4th Worker Assistance Centre (also our HQ); released expanded national and automobile brand and women worker coverage in our annual worker accident prevention reports – CRUSHED2023 and SafetyNiti2023 - with increased support from some of the automobile brands (not so others) and the government; among other ESIC-improvement things, also released 4th ‘ESIC Ki Baat Aap Ke Saath’ report to improve medical care for women.
We continued our efforts to make worker-safety a priority in the automobile brands’ supply chain, employing 10 million+ Indians and improving access to social security through ESI for c.140 million Indians. Two steps forward, one step backwards and miles still to go!
1200+ workers participated at SII’s largest ever Shramik Sammelan, November 2023. Of these 1,000+ were injured and 80%+ were from component supplying factories to automobile brands.
Remembering Shri Vinay Dixit, IIMA91 alumnus, a true friend, supporter and a thought-leader of SII.
Here are some highlights for the year, in our four pillars of activities, tactical and strategic:
Pillar 1: Supporting injured workers in their healthcare and compensation (expanded now to also include support to non-injured workers).
We opened our 4th Worker Assistance Centre (WAC) In Gurgaon, which will also serve as our HQ where we can finally work together. (Previous WACs: Manesar-2016, Faridabad-2021, Pune-2022)
We assisted 1900+ workers in 2023 – our highest ever (5100+ workers from 2016 to 2022).
Assisted injured workers access c.Rs 26 Cr. - our highest ever (Rs. 39 Cr. + in compensation value from ESIC from 2016 to 2022).
Gurugram Worker Assistance Centre (and HQ) opening – August 2023
Compensation value (in Crore Rupees) accessed by injured workers from ESI with our support
Injured workers assisted by us in accessing ESI healthcare and compensation
Pillar 2: Helping improve worker-safety in the automobile brands supply chain that employs 1 Cr + workers.
In its fifth edition, CRUSHED2023 analyzed 5,000+ workers’ injury data from the supply chain of 20+ auto sector brands in 6 states and had a special focus on women workers.
In its third edition, SafetyNiti2023 found that 8/10 auto brands have improved some parts of their supply chain policies. There is much to be done on the implementation end though.
The joint ISH-Maruti-Hero-Honda-SII initiative concluded assessments of 30 Tier 2 suppliers, which highlighted the scale of the issue with 80%+ of them failing the audit.
BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) finally’ adopted ISO standards 16092 parts 2 and 4 in June 2023, as recommended by SII, to help prevent crush injuries on power press machines.
An expanded SafetyNiti2023 was released with representatives from the auto industry (Bajaj Auto) government (IICA), and academia (IHD) in August 2023
Pillar 3: Helping improve the ‘quality’ of ESI healthcare and compensation for ESIC’s 3.5 Cr + insured workers and their families.
Our fourth ESIC Ki Baat Apke Saath report highlighted the issue of the absence of an ultrasound facility for pregnant women in Manesar’s ESIC hospital, forcing them to spend Rs. 1Cr+ on private providers, while they should have got it free from ESIC to who they pay monthly premium. Action awaited.
12+ national notifications/circulars by ESIC based on SII’s recommendations to date.
Shri Deepak Joshi, ESIC Insurance Commissioner, addressed the challenges faced by workers at SII’s Shramik Sammelan, November 2023.
Pillar 4: Increasing awareness about worker safety and social security.
Our first Shramik Sammelan in 2018 had 20 worker participants. Our 4th Shramik Sammelan in 2023 had 1000+ workers participate – our highest ever (80% from the auto sector, and 200+ women)
Gang of Shramikpur, our edutainment series on ESI crossed 125K + views across social media channels.
3. 8th annual workshop for 400+ students at IIM Ahmedabad. Workshops also at LSE, Singapore Management University, Ashoka University, and BITSOM.
4. Participation at the UNBHR’s 3rd South Asia Forum on Business and Human Rights
5. SII and the cause of worker safety continues to be covered by the media. Coverage includes an article by Prof. Ankur Sarin, IIM Ahmedabad, in the Deccan Herald and reports in The Times of India,The Hindu, ET Auto, Business Standard and others.
Safe In India at the United Nations South Asia Forum on Business and Human Rights
Jyoti, an injured worker’s young and brave daughter, appealing to the automobile brands at the Shramik Sammelan, November 2023.
Click here to listen to this powerful speech of 2 minutes.
2024 will bring its own opportunities and challenges. We will accelerate the number of workers assisted from c.2000 in 2023 to c.5000 in 2024 as we expand our worker assistance proposition to non-injured workers too, open another WAC, and with this increased evidence and insights, continue enhancing our engagement with the automobile brands, SIAM, ACMA and the government and its agencies, to help with ‘Make in India responsibly’ and ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’.
There is a lot more, but we will keep it brief here. Please do watch our Annual Review video here to see life and team behind these activities and help us spread the word. We need more supporters for the cause of Indian workers, an often-ignored area.
Have a super 2024!
