While experts are arguing on the value brought or not brought by the blockchain, the underlying technology keeps getting acceptance from new members and partners. This time, New America, Harvard University, Levi Strauss & Co and ConsenSys collaborate to develop a blockchain powered safety system.
The safety system is aimed to look out the health and well-being of the factory workers in Mexico. A sum of $800,000 is expected to be utilized on the Mexican workers. The initiative targets the overall working environment which, in addition to the assessment of individual workers, includes factory conditions as well. By evaluating the working conditions, a transparent environment would be created so that the entire workplace could be monitored.
Almost 5,000 Levi Strauss & Co. workers in three factories are likely to be the part of this blockchain powered survey. Director of Sustainability and Health Initiative for NetPositive Enterprise (SHINE) at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Dr. Eileen McNeely regards the use of blockchain for evaluating the health of workers as quite innovative. He stated that audits are insufficient to monitor supply chains and blockchain offered a great new solution.
Founder of the Blockchain Trust Accelerator at New America, Tomicah Tillemann shares Dr. Eileen’s beliefs as well. Tomicah regarded the idea, checking the health of workers with the help of blockchain, as quite innovative as well. ConsenSys founder, Joe Lubin said that blockchain used in this project, Ethereum, enables two parties to build trust. He further added that workers are capable of securely sharing their critical and sensitive data with the help of Ethereum in this project. According to the company, the goals behind the project are as follow:
The overarching goal is to develop, test, and scale a #blockchain system that could empower employees, suppliers, and consumers to make informed decisions about factories, products, and brands. #blockchainforsocialgood@SHINEHarvard #ConsenSys
— ConsenSys (@ConsenSys) January 24, 2019
It is expected that in the second quarter of 2019, this pilot will be tested in the factories of Mexico and another pilot will be seen in 2020. To conclude what success does the future hold for the aforementioned blockchain safety system, we’ll have to let the time pass so accurate judgment can be made in future.
