Worker voice & access · Definition
Worker Access Verification
Worker Access Verification is Libera's method for documenting whether workers at a supplier site can actually access and understand the reporting channel made available to them. It records, per access point and with a date, whether the channel was found reachable — not who used it.
Worker Access Verification is Libera product terminology, not an ILO, EU or other legal standard. It builds on the UN Guiding Principles' expectation that grievance mechanisms be accessible, and turns that expectation into a dated, reviewable record.
Published by Libera Europe · Last reviewed 5 October 2026
In brief
- Worker Access Verification checks the channel, not the workers: it never records identities, device identifiers or individual scans.
- Each supplier site has agreed access points (for example QR posters in specific locations); each check records the method, date and outcome per access point.
- A site's access status is one of: verified, due for verification, unverified, or access issue.
- Retired access points keep a recorded reason, so gaps in the history are explained rather than hidden.
- Verified access does not show that workers trust or use the channel, and says nothing on its own about whether forced labour is present.
What this means in practice
When a high-risk site shows zero worker reports, Worker Access Verification lets a reviewer distinguish "workers could reach the channel and raised nothing" from "nobody knows whether workers could reach the channel at all". Libera shows the second case as an access gap, never as reassurance.
Channel existence versus channel accessibility
A reporting channel can exist on paper and still be unreachable in practice. Worker Access Verification separates the two questions a due diligence file often blurs together.
| Question | Typical evidence | Gap it leaves |
|---|---|---|
| Does a channel exist? | Policy document, poster artwork, supplier attestation | Says nothing about where the poster hangs or whether workers can read it |
| Is the channel accessible at this site? | Dated check of each agreed access point, method, languages, outcome | Says nothing about trust or use |
| Is the channel trusted and used? | Pattern of reports over time, follow-up replies, worker engagement | Cannot be inferred from access alone |
How a check is recorded in Libera
- Access points are agreed per site, ideally more than one, placed discreetly rather than under cameras or in supervisors' offices.
- A check records the date, the method (announced, unannounced or not stated), and an outcome: all agreed points available, partial, or unavailable.
- The site status is derived from the latest check and its age, so an old verification becomes 'due for verification' rather than staying green.
- Every check and access-point retirement is kept in the site's history and appears in the Due Diligence Passport.
The worker-facing side is described on worker reporting software; how signals are reviewed is in the escalation protocol.
Reading access and reports together
| Access verified | Access unverified or issue | |
|---|---|---|
| Zero reports | Lower concern; keep re-verifying | Unknown — treat as a gap, not reassurance |
| Reports present | Review the grouped pattern | Review, and fix access — others may not reach the channel |
Worker Access Verification can show
- That agreed access points existed and were checked on a stated date, by a stated method (announced or unannounced).
- That the channel was offered in the languages configured for the site.
- Where access was partial, unavailable or overdue for re-checking.
Worker Access Verification cannot show
- That workers trust the channel or feel safe using it.
- That workers have used, or will use, the channel.
- That forced labour is absent — or present — at the site.
- Compliance with any law or standard.
Sources and method
Worker Access Verification is a Libera method. The external sources below describe the accessibility expectation it operationalises; they do not define or endorse the method. This is general information, not legal advice.
- UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights — Principle 31 (effectiveness criteria)
- OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct
Libera produces risk indicators as prompts for human review, not findings. It does not determine that forced labour occurred, does not guarantee compliance with any law and is not legal advice.