VECTRA International

Living Wages and Fair Compensation in Global Supply Chains

Duration: 45-60 min Intermediate Certificate Course Updated Feb 2026

About course

Most companies sourcing from global supply chains can confirm their suppliers pay the legal minimum wage. Far fewer can say whether that wage is enough to live on. That gap, between what is legally required and what workers actually need, is now a compliance question, a disclosure obligation, and a business risk all at once.

This course gives you the knowledge and tools to close that gap in your own work. You will learn how living wages are defined and calculated, how to assess your supplier base against recognized benchmarks, and how to build a credible response to the regulatory and investor expectations that are already in front of you.

Course Outline

Section 1: Understanding Living Wages vs. Legal Minimums

  • Distinguish between minimum wage, living wage, and fair wage, and learn how the Anker Methodology calculates what workers actually need to live on, and why that number is almost always higher than the legal floor.

Section 2: Business Risk and Regulatory Context

  • Analyze the reputational, legal, and operational risks that living wage gaps create, and map the current regulatory landscape across CSRD, CSDDD, and LkSG to understand where your organization's exposure sits.

Section 3: Assessment Tools and Supplier Engagement

  • Apply the gap analysis process to your supplier base, from benchmarking and wage data collection to risk tiering and structured supplier engagement, including how to handle the data quality challenges that commonly arise.

Section 4: Disclosure, Reporting, and Building a Roadmap

  • Build a credible, CSRD-aligned living wage disclosure program by connecting your internal gap analysis to ESRS S2 requirements, and construct a three-phase roadmap that moves your organization from first measurement to sustained, reportable progress.

Section 5: Knowledge Check

  • Demonstrate your understanding of course concepts by working through ten scenario-based questions drawn from realistic supply chain situations.

Course Outcome

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Identify the distinction between a living wage, a minimum wage, and a fair wage in the context of supply chain labor standards.
  • Explain how living wage gaps in global supply chains create reputational, legal, and operational risk for sourcing companies.
  • Apply recognized benchmarking tools and frameworks (GRI 202, ILO, Anker Methodology) to assess supplier compensation levels.
  • Evaluate supplier wage data using the Living Wage Employer (LWE) and Fair Wage Network criteria.
  • Implement a living wage roadmap, including gap analysis, supplier engagement, and disclosure planning aligned with CSRD and CSDDD requirements.

Topic expert

Erin Phillips
Erin Phillips
Consultant

Erin is an ethical leadership and employee relations specialist who focuses on DEI, fair compensation, and human rights to foster an inclusive and safe workplace. She leads the development of grievance mechanisms, disability accommodation training, and non-discrimination policies to ensure humane treatment and gender sensitivity across global operations. By navigating complex scenarios—from harassment complaints to union negotiations—Erin implements practical wellbeing practices and machine safeguards to protect worker welfare and uphold rigorous governance standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I access my purchased courses?

You will be able to access your purchases after you’ve successfully logged into your VECTRA account. This information will include links to each of the purchases for quick navigation. You will also receive an email with a link for your training.

Can I share my access to purchased courses with others?

No, sharing access is not permitted. Each purchase provides a single-user license. Sharing access may result in the termination of your account. If you are interested in making a group purchase for your company, please write at contact@vectra-intl.com.

Can I access my purchased courses on multiple devices?

Yes, you can access your purchased products and services on multiple devices, provided you are the account holder. This allows for flexible learning and usage.

Will I get a certificate upon completing an online course?

Some courses include certificates of completion. Please check the course details for confirmation.

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