Eliminating the “Information Gap” for Textile Workers

20/05/2025 15:19

In reality, to achieve business development, companies must place workers at the center while also addressing corporate social responsibility (CSR) in response to market shifts and customer demands. In implementing CSR, access to information and transparency for workers is the backbone that helps employees better understand their companies and fosters a sense of attachment.

So, what is the current state of information access for textile and garment workers, and what lessons can be learned from enterprises? This article from Vietnam Textile & Fashion explores the answers.

Ms. Pham Thi Thanh Tam – Member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, President of the Vietnam Textile and Garment Union:

Modernizing Information Access for the Young Workforce

According to Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 25 of the 2013 Constitution of Vietnam, the right to access information is a universal right that enables other rights such as expression, supervision, and participation in social life. For workers, this right is even more practical—it is a key to self-protection, negotiation, and accompanying businesses through changes. However, the gap between policy and real-life application still faces many challenges. Especially in sectors like textiles and garments, where the workforce is large, widespread, and largely unskilled, barriers range from institutional and organizational capacity to individual literacy and the communication environment.

The textile and garment sector currently employs over 2.5 million workers, mostly unskilled, female workers in centralized industrial settings. Through field research and large-scale surveys, we identified several key issues:

  1. A shift in information access behavior: Workers are moving from traditional channels (internal broadcasts, team meetings) to digital platforms, especially social media. However, their limited skills in processing and analyzing information lead to misinformation, passivity, and susceptibility to manipulation.
  2. Enterprises and trade unions play a key role in providing information, but there is a lack of consistency in proactiveness, transparency, and two-way feedback. In some places, information is seen as “internal” or a “leakage risk,” weakening labor relations.
  3. Internal communication systems have evolved from newsletters and broadcasts to social media platforms. However, content remains unengaging and poorly segmented demographically (age, gender, region, education level).

Survey results show that while 77.6% of workers found information access effective, 56.9% believe that communication methods must improve, particularly for the younger workforce and Gen Z, who are gradually becoming the industry’s core labor force.

With 88% of the textile sector made up of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), most lack dedicated internal communication departments. As a result, information is often distributed through bulletin boards, word of mouth, or Zalo groups, lacking systematization, archiving, and dialogue.

Furthermore, with 84.4% of workers being unskilled, limited literacy hinders their ability to search for, understand, and interact with information. This turns them into “information receivers” rather than active “information subjects.”

Though grassroots unions are legally authorized to oversee and monitor information sharing, they often operate under part-time models with limited manpower, communication skills, and technology capacity, thus restricting their role.

There is a need to shift the mindset: from propaganda to communication, from delivering information to building access and interaction capacity.

Dr. Nguyen Hoang Mai – University of Labour and Social Affairs:

Improving Policy and Access to Information for Workers

One pressing issue is the lack of consistency and integration among legal documents regulating workers’ right to access information (RAI). While Vietnam’s 2016 Law on Access to Information has been enacted, it primarily focuses on the public sector. This creates a legal gap in the private sector, where most of Vietnam’s workforce is employed.

Additionally, the 2019 Labor Code and the 2024 Trade Union Law still offer only broad, non-specific guidelines on what, when, how, and through which procedures information should be provided. The absence of binding regulations weakens enforcement and legal deterrence.

I recommend creating a dedicated Decree or Circular on transparency in labor relations, focusing on:

  1. A list of mandatory disclosures employers must provide to workers and their representatives.
  2. Timelines and formats tailored to each industry’s characteristics and company size.
  3. Clear procedures for receiving and processing information requests from unions or employees.
  4. Monitoring and sanctioning mechanisms for violations of information transparency obligations.

The right to information must also be clearly defined in the Trade Union Law and its guiding documents, including:

  • Types of information unions can request.
  • Coordination processes between unions and employers.
  • Employer accountability when denying legitimate union requests.

Moreover, the obligation to store, digitize, and protect worker-related information must be legally mandated, enabling unions to build efficient data systems for advocacy and negotiation.

Although the Law on Grassroots Democracy (2022) and Decree 59/2023/NĐ-CP require companies to disclose business plans, policy implementation, and welfare fund usage, the current legal framework lacks penalties for non-compliance. Decree 12/2022/NĐ-CP, which governs administrative violations in labor, doesn’t address deliberate withholding, delaying, or misrepresenting information, leaving workers without legal recourse to defend their rights.

Dr. Nguyen Nga Huyen – Deputy Head of Communications, VNU School of Business and Management:

Enhancing Internal Communication in Enterprises

As Vietnam’s textile and garment sector faces internal and external pressures—rising production costs, market volatility, and green transition demands—strengthening internal cohesion and improving productivity is critical. Internal communication plays a crucial role in achieving this.

Effective internal communication is not just top-down information sharing; it’s a two-way bridge between leadership and workers. Given the labor-intensive, shift-based nature of the industry, especially in industrial zones, internal communication can help build corporate culture, retain staff, and improve competitiveness.

Key points for effective internal communication in the textile industry include:

  1. Tailored communication strategies aligned with business goals—e.g., boosting productivity, reducing turnover, improving branding, and promoting culture.
  2. Multilayered, diversified channels: Use direct and indirect communication, social media, broadcasts, visual messaging, gamified rules quizzes, etc., to engage diverse worker needs.
  3. Appropriate content and language: Messages must be easy to understand, relatable, and vibrant, with inspirational stories and positive role models.
  4. Two-way interaction: Organize regular leadership-worker dialogues, form worker councils by shift, and use suggestion boxes, anonymous surveys, or QR-based feedback tools—with transparent response mechanisms to build trust.
  5. Dedicated personnel: Train team leaders and supervisors in communication or establish dedicated internal comms units in factories.
  6. Integrate with union activities: Combine communications with events, awards, sports, and key worker benefits like pay, health, and bonuses. Consider initiatives like “Workers Tell Stories” or “I Speak Up” to give workers a voice.

Mr. Bach Thang Long – Deputy General Director, Garco 10 Corporation – JSC:

Transparency Builds Trust and Productivity

For enterprises, transparency is not just a moral duty but a key to building a reliable, cohesive work environment that drives productivity and sustainable growth. At Garco 10, employees are considered the most valuable asset—our 80-year success owes much to their contributions.

Therefore, workers’ right to information is central to our development strategy. We believe that when employees are well-informed, they feel respected and trust leadership, leading to higher engagement and productivity, as President Ho Chi Minh once said: “Clear thinking leads to good results.”

At Garment 10, we use a multi-channel system with both direct and indirect communication:

Direct channels include:

  • Face-to-face dialogues between leaders and worker reps.
  • Weekly Monday flag-raising ceremonies.
  • Regular union-led meetings to disseminate Party, State, and company policies relevant to workers’ rights.
  • Periodic team, production line, and department meetings.
  • Training and skill development sessions.

Indirect channels involve:

  • Modern audio-visual equipment and a skilled media team producing professional programs (talk shows, newsletters, fashion showcases) for multi-platform distribution (website, Facebook, email, Zalo, internal newsletter “Garco10 Style”).
  • Noticeboards in factories and offices share updated production data, announcements, cultural and sports events, welfare policies, and disciplinary actions.

Highlights of our information approach:

  1. Diverse channels catering to different worker needs.
  2. Fast, accurate dissemination to avoid misunderstandings.
  3. Transparency in all information related to rights and obligations.
  4. Easy access and feedback mechanisms to encourage worker participation.
  5. Strong collaboration with the union in safeguarding information rights.

Ms. Tran Tuong Anh – Board Member, Hoa Tho Textile & Garment JSC:

Corporate Culture: The Foundation for Sustainable Development

In our 30-year journey, including tough times when we lost major export markets and had to restructure, Hoa Tho has learned that beyond investing in technology, operations, and market expansion, a strong corporate culture is the foundation for success.

Corporate culture is the soul of an organization—a set of values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors shared by all members. At Hoa Tho, our leadership across generations has recognized that culture is not a slogan but consistent, repeated actions that become habits.

Our culture has evolved continuously and is now expressed through five pillars:

  1. Transparency and Discipline
  2. Respect and Trust
  3. Service and Cooperation
  4. Lifelong Learning and Sustainable Growth
  5. Pride in Our Organization

From over 30 years of transformation, we’ve drawn valuable lessons:

  1. Leadership must set the tone—commitment and consistency are essential.
  2. Culture must align with long-term strategy and be reviewed regularly.
  3. Build ethical and skilled managers—character and competence must go hand in hand.
  4. Invest in communication tools and platforms, using multi-channel strategies to effectively spread culture.

Today, Hoa Tho is not only strong in manufacturing capacity but also a cohesive, purpose-driven team, proud of a unique internal culture cultivated daily. We believe a company with a strong culture has the inner strength to weather any storm and grow sustainably in the global marketplace

(Notes from the seminar “Strengthening Access to Information for Workers in Vietnam’s Textile and Garment Industry: Current Situation and Solutions” organized by the Vietnam Textile and Garment Union)

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