Migrant Workers and Corporate Social Responsibility: Workplace Practices in Mauritius

The growth of international migration has brought a plethora of issues to the workplace, particularly in developing countries. Exploitation, inequality, poor working conditions, and non-unionization have led to reports of migrant workers being treated as “slave labor”. Many have called for greater attention to address the human rights and working issues of employees in line with workplace sustainability development goals. However, the treatment of migrant workers still remains an issue in business practice in many countries. In this case study, we explore the workplace issues faced by migrant workers from Bangladesh, India, and Madagascar in Mauritius, an island nation in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Southern Africa. The case describes why and how three Mauritian textile manufacturing companies changed their workplace practices to encompass corporate social responsibility (CSR). The complexity surrounding these issues is examined through an institutional lens.