By 2030, rising temperatures could push global productivity losses from heat stress to the equivalent of 80 million full-time jobs—up from 35 million in 1995. Workers in the UK’s supply chains, particularly in rice farms and processing mills in India, are on the front line of this crisis. Existing occupational safety guidelines offer general advice but fail to address the specific needs of workers facing heat stress in supply chains. Access to Heat Stress Protection (HSP)—including preventive measures like hydration, rest, and shade, as well as treatment and social security—remains severely limited. There is also little known about how HSP access affects productivity, labour rights, and workers’ overall lives. This project will develop a practical, worker-focused framework to improve HSP access in supply chains. Through qualitative fieldwork in the UK’s rice supply chain in India—both outdoor farms and indoor mills—it will examine how workers manage heat stress, what workplace and institutional factors block HSP, and how HSP links to labour rights and productivity. If successful, the framework could help businesses cut health costs, boost productivity, and build sustainable supply chains. It would also give policymakers evidence-based recommendations to improve safety standards for UK companies and their global suppliers, supporting a fairer global economy.
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Heat stress occurs when the body absorbs more heat than it can release, leading to serious health issues such as dehydration, heat exhaustion, and potentially life-threatening heat stroke. It is an increasingly pressing concern in workplaces, as it impairs workers' physical and mental abilities, resulting in fatigue, slower reaction times, and reduced productivity. In 1995, global productivity losses due to heat stress were equivalent to 35 million full-time jobs. By 2030, this figure is projected to rise to 80 million, driven by increasing temperatures and climate change. A such, the risks associated with heat stress not only affect the health and well-being of workers but also have a global impact on businesses, creating significant barriers to economic growth. Workers in sourcing destinations for UK companies, particularly in heat-prone regions such as South Asia, Western and Central Africa, and Southeast Asia, are especially vulnerable. Existing labour rights and occupational safety guidelines often provide general advice but fail to address the specific needs of workers dealing with heat stress in supply chains. Consequently, access to Heat Stress Protection (HSP)—which requires both preventive measures (e.g., hydration, rest, shade, nutrition, ventilation) and effective remediation (e.g., treatment, social security, scheduling)—remains severely limited for many workers in these environments. Additionally, there is limited knowledge about how access to HSP affects productivity, broader labour rights, and workers' overall lives. The project, developed in consultation with policymakers, businesses, civil societies and workers, will develop a practical, worker-focused holistic framework to improve access to HSP in supply chains. It will focus on the unique challenges workers face and provide actionable solutions in four key areas: How workers manage heat stress in their daily lives. The workplace, supply chain, and institutional factors that affect access to HSP. Links between access to HSP, labour rights, and dignity at work. The relationship between access to HSP and worker productivity. Using an ambitious research design, qualitative fieldwork will be conducted in the UK’s rice supply chain in India, with research conducted in two types of workplaces in the same supply chain: a) outdoor sites: rice farms and b) indoor sites: processing mills. The framework for HSP in supply chains, developed through rigorous research with input from various relevant stakeholders will: Improve workers’ health, safety, and dignity and overall quality of life. Provide groundbreaking research and actionable insights for academics across disciplines interested in labour rights, inequalities, climate change and sustainable supply chains. Help businesses cut health-related costs, boost productivity, and build sustainable supply chains, positioning UK companies as global leaders in managing heat stress. Offer policymakers evidence-based recommendations to support sustainable growth and improve safety standards of UK companies and their supply chains. Support civil society and multilateral institutions in advancing labour rights, climate resilience, and economic development, aligning with global initiatives focused on achieving a Just Transition. By improving access to HSP in supply chains and developing on-the-ground solutions tailored to workers' real experiences, this project aims to safeguard workers, strengthen businesses, and contribute to a fairer and more sustainable global economy.
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