WZB becomes first Fairwork partner in Germany

We are thrilled to announce that the Berlin Social Sciences Center (WZB) has joined the Fairwork Pledge as its first partner in Germany!

The WZB, founded in 1969, is one of Germany’s leading research institutions focussing on problems of modern societies in a globalized world. It employs around 200 scientists from various disciplines and about 150 administrative staff members. The WZB also hosts the Fairwork Secretariat, one of the two central coordinating bodies of the Fairwork project. 

As a Fairwork partner, the WZB has made the Fairwork principles and ratings a criterion in the procurement process for contracting services via digital platforms. When employees want to use digital platforms – e.g. for services such as data entry, data cleaning, filling out surveys, transcription, translation or proof-reading – they are now required to take Fairwork ratings into account and to choose, where possible, a platform that fulfils at least the minimum standards of fair work as set out by the Fairwork Principles.

We congratulate the WZB for providing an example of how research institutions can support fairer platform work. We also invite all other research institutions to follow the example of the WZB and join the Fairwork Pledge!