Better Brick Nepal Project

• Address exploitative labor practices on brick kilns and sustain change by creating a demand for a ‘Better Brick’ 
• In partnership with GFI and local NGOs, funded by Humanity United

• Develop and pilot-test a certification standard and verification methodology that addresses child labor, forced and bonded labor, and inhumane working conditions in participating Better Brick kilns; 
• Provide educational and remediation services for child laborers.

During its tenure, the Better Brick Nepal program achieved significant milestones and made remarkable progress in improving the brick manufacturing industry. Some key achievements include:

Oct 2013 – Sept 2015 
• 5 participating kilns 
• Drafted BBN Standard • Established Standard Committee (SC)
• Unannounced child labor inspections 
• Trained kiln owners, brokers and workers on child labor 

Dec 2015- Nov 2017 
• 40 participating kilns 
• Conducted first audit (2016), 8 full audits in 2017 
• 16 kilns free from Child Labor 
• Established independent Certification Committee (CC) 

Dec 2017- Nov 2019 
• 13 audits (2018) & 21 audits ( 2019) 
• First 2 certified kilns in 2018 and 7 in 2019 
• Led FBL pilot, developed tools to address worker debt and comply with new Nepal labor law requiring kilns to conduct a labor audit report 

2020- 2021 
• Trained IOs on Forced/Bonded Labor (FBL) interventions 
• Revised BBN Standard and improved guidance for kiln owners 
• 11 kilns certified in 2020 & 15 kilns certified in 2021 

2022- May 2023 
• Sustain progress and transition to a stakeholder led initiative

• Sustain progress on program kilns 
• Advance national discourse on brick sector labor issues • Preserve, document, and disseminate BBN knowledge 
• Expand BBN’s impact where possible • Increase involvement and responsibility among stakeholders 
• Focus on compliance with Nepali labor law 
• Build capacity of kiln management as mentors and leaders 
• Train kiln owners and local governments on labor audit process (and self-assessment) 
• Position GW Nepal as an authority in brick kiln compliance and capacity building

• Sustain progress on program kilns 
• Advance national discourse on brick sector labor issues 
• Preserve, document, and disseminate BBN knowledge • Expand BBN’s impact where possible 
• Increase involvement and responsibility among stakeholders • Focus on compliance with Nepali labor law 
• Build capacity of kiln management as mentors and leaders 
• Train kiln owners and local governments on labor audit process (and self-assessment) 
• Position GW Nepal as an authority in brick kiln compliance and capacity building