Below is the Human Rights Risk Analysis Framework tailored for East Africa Seaweed operations and business relationships. This tool helps us to systematically identify, assess, and prioritize potential human rights risks based on UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the OECD Due Diligence Guidance, and best practices from global responsible business standards.
East Africa Seaweed Human Rights Risk Analysis Framework
🔎 Objective:
To systematically assess and address potential adverse human rights impacts from East Africa Seaweed’s seaweed operations and associated business relationships, focusing on women, children, and vulnerable communities.
1. Key Areas of Operations & Business Relationships
| Area of Activity | Description |
| Seaweed Farming | Coastal harvesting, drying, processing, packaging |
| Labor Supply Chain | Contract workers, seasonal labor, community labor |
| Business Partnerships | Suppliers, buyers, processors, transporters |
| Land/Marine Use | Coastal/marine access rights, community resource use |
| Community Engagement | Local livelihoods, shared resource use |
2. Potential Human Rights Risks & Impacts
| Risk Category | Description | Vulnerable Groups Affected | Severity / Likelihood |
| Child Labor | Use of underage workers in farming or drying activities | Children in coastal communities | High / Medium |
| Gender Inequality | Unequal pay, lack of promotion, GBV or exclusion from leadership roles | Women | High / High |
| Unsafe Working Conditions | Lack of PPE, exposure to sea hazards, dehydration risks, long hours | All workers | Medium / Medium |
| Low Wages | Payments below living wage benchmarks | Women and informal laborers | High / High |
| Displacement | Community access to coast restricted due to business expansion | Coastal and fishing communities | Medium / Low |
| Lack of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) | Involvement in marine or land use without community approval | Indigenous / fishing communities | Medium / Medium |
| Environmental Degradation | Damage to sea beds, biodiversity loss, affecting community livelihoods | All local residents | High / Medium |
| Harassment or Discrimination | Workplace abuse, gender or ethnicity-based discrimination | Women, minorities | Medium / Medium |
3. Risk Assessment Matrix
We use the following Risk Priority Rating:
- Severity: Impact on human rights if risk materializes (Low/Medium/High)
- Likelihood: Probability of the risk occurring (Low/Medium/High)
Example:
- High Severity + High Likelihood = Critical Priority
- Medium Severity + Low Likelihood = Moderate Priority
4. Mitigation & Preventive Measures
| Risk Identified | Mitigation Strategy |
| Child Labor | Strict age verification, education support, and zero-tolerance hiring policy |
| Gender Inequality | Gender equity policies, anti-harassment training, women’s leadership development |
| Unsafe Working Conditions | Provide PPE, hydration stations, and safety protocols; schedule rest breaks |
| Low Wages | Align pay with living wage studies, review annually, transparency in payment systems |
| Displacement / FPIC Issues | Engage in early consultation with communities, obtain written FPIC before projects |
| Environmental Degradation | Implement regenerative practices, train farmers, monitor marine impact regularly |
| Harassment & Discrimination | Enforce anti-discrimination policy, provide anonymous grievance system |
5. Monitoring & Reporting Mechanism
| Monitoring Tool | Frequency | Responsible Party |
| Human Rights Impact Audit | Annual | Human Rights Compliance Officer |
| Worker Grievance Tracker | Ongoing | Local Operations Manager |
| Community Consultation Log | Quarterly | Community Liaison Officer |
| Third-Party Evaluations | Bi-annual | Independent Human Rights Consultant/NGO |
| Internal Training Reviews | Annually | HR & Training Coordinator |
6. Corrective Action Plan
If a risk is realized:
- Conduct an immediate impact assessment
- Engage affected individuals or groups
- Implement remediation (compensation, role reassignment, policy change)
- Update risk registry and prevention strategy
- Notify relevant stakeholders and authorities as necessary
7. Integration Into Business Processes
- Embed into supplier onboarding and partnership agreements
- Include KPIs in management performance reviews tied to human rights standards
- Require annual human rights refresher training for all staff
- Include risk reviews in all project planning and expansion proposals