Factories who have set up canteens and provided free meals to workers shared their experiences and the significance of pursuing such initiatives at a special briefing session on BFC’s One Change Campaign to prevent faintings. The meeting was jointly organized by ILO-Better Factories Cambodia, GAP and H&M on Monday 8 October. Representatives from nearly 100 factories attended.

Presenters from SL factory, Ocean Sky, and Can Sports (a footwear factory) put forward their experience in setting up canteens.  Each of these factory representatives told participants that providing a canteen and nutritious food for workers was good for them.
Morngh Sochearat, SL factory’s compliance officer, said that his factory has provided free food to workers since its establishment. A cost of 2500 Riel (approximately $0.60) is spent per worker per meal. 

“To ensure the food is hygienic, nutritious and acceptable to workers, we set up a food committee. We have a meeting every week to incorporate their inputs,” explained Sochea.

“There is high productivity, good time-management and money saving,” he added.

Sochea continued that the food available for the workers varies from one day to another, and to ensure the workers are happy with the food, the established food committee meets regularly to review suggestions received from workers.