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Migrant Workers and Corporate Social Responsibility: Workplace Practices in Mauritius

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Industry and Higher Education

Abstract

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-unionisation have led to reports of migrant workers being treated as “slave labour”. 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.

When I see the migrant workers’ broken bodies and eyes without hope, I want to embrace and wipe away their fears. It makes me angry and helps me to keep fighting the oppressive system.

Irene Fernandez (Malaysian human rights activist)

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Monash University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia

    Sevika Varaden & Manjit Singh Sandhu

  2. Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand

    Fandy Tjiptono

Authors
  1. Sevika Varaden
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  2. Manjit Singh Sandhu
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  3. Fandy Tjiptono
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fandy Tjiptono .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Macquarie Business School, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Leigh Wood

  2. Macquarie Business School, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Lay Peng Tan

  3. Macquarie Business School, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Yvonne A. Breyer

  4. UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Sally Hawse

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Varaden, S., Sandhu, M.S., Tjiptono, F. (2020). Migrant Workers and Corporate Social Responsibility: Workplace Practices in Mauritius. In: Wood, L., Tan, L., Breyer, Y., Hawse, S. (eds) Industry and Higher Education. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0874-5_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0874-5_10

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

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  • Online ISBN: 978-981-15-0874-5

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