Activity Report

Event Report: Workshop on Decent Work, the Common Good and the Environment with University Students

Date: 29 July 2026

Context: Erasmus+ project Youth for Decent Work, the Common Good and the Environment (KA145)

Location: Pekarna Magdalenske mreže, Ob železnici 6, 2000 Maribor

1. Description of the Activity

As part of the project, we organised a workshop with university students focusing on fast fashion as a concrete example of the connections between consumption, global supply chains, workers' rights and environmental issues. The activity was designed to enable participants to explore broader social, economic and environmental processes through products they encounter in their everyday lives.

Using everyday clothing as an example, participants analysed the journey of a product from production to sale and considered who is involved at different stages of production and distribution, the interests of different actors and the position of workers within global supply chains.

Participants then worked in smaller groups. Each group examined a specific problem related to work in global supply chains and analysed the positions and interests of different actors – workers, factory owners, major brands, retailers and consumers. Particular attention was paid to how power, responsibility and the ability to influence working conditions are distributed among different actors.

This was followed by a joint reflection in which the groups presented and compared their findings. The discussion focused on individual and collective responsibility, the importance of trade union organising and the role of companies and public institutions in ensuring decent work.

The workshop enabled participants to connect everyday consumption with broader questions of global inequality, workers' rights, economic interests, environmental responsibility and possibilities for collective action.

2. Purpose of the Activity

The objectives of the workshop were:

1. to introduce university students to the functioning of global supply chains through the concrete example of fast fashion,
2. to deepen their understanding of the position of workers in the textile industry and global production processes,
3. to explore the connections between consumption, production, working conditions and environmental issues,
4. to develop an understanding of different interests and power relations between actors within supply chains,
5. to encourage critical reflection on individual and collective responsibility,
6. to deepen participants' understanding of the importance of trade union and collective organising in improving working conditions,
7. to encourage reflection on the responsibility of companies and public institutions in ensuring decent work,
8. to develop solidarity with workers experiencing insecure and unequal working conditions.
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3. Process and Youth Participation

The workshop was based on the active participation of students and combined group discussion, analysis of concrete examples and work in smaller groups.

a) Fast Fashion as a Starting Point for Understanding Global Processes

The introductory part began with clothing as an everyday product familiar to all participants. Together, we considered the journey of an individual product from production to sale and the many people and companies involved in this process.

In this way, we connected everyday consumption with broader questions of global production, economic relations, workers' rights and environmental responsibility.

b) Global Supply Chains and the Position of Workers

We then analysed the basic structure of global supply chains. Participants considered different stages of production and distribution and the position of workers within these processes.

Particular attention was paid to who makes key decisions, who has the greatest ability to influence production conditions and how economic power differs between individual actors within the supply chain.

c) Group Work and Analysis of Different Actors

Participants divided into smaller groups and examined specific problems related to work within global supply chains.

The groups analysed the positions and interests of workers, factory owners, major brands, retailers and consumers. They considered the ability of each actor to influence working conditions and how power, responsibility and economic interests are distributed throughout the supply chain.

d) Individual and Collective Responsibility

An important part of the discussion focused on responsibility. Participants considered the extent to which individual consumers and workers can influence existing conditions and the limitations of individual action.

The discussion then moved towards collective and systemic approaches to changing these conditions, including workers' organising, corporate responsibility and the role of public institutions.

e) Trade Union and Collective Organising

Particular attention was paid to the position of individual workers within global economic relations. Participants discussed why individual workers often have limited ability to influence their working conditions and how their position can change when workers come together and organise collectively.

This provided a basis for discussing the importance of trade union organising, solidarity and collective representation of shared interests.

f) Joint Reflection

In the final part of the workshop, the groups presented their findings and compared different perspectives and proposed solutions.

The joint reflection demonstrated that working conditions within global supply chains cannot be understood solely as a question of individual workers' or consumers' choices. Participants recognised the importance of broader economic relations, power structures, collective organising and the responsibility of companies and institutions.

4. Achieved Results

The activity was evaluated through a questionnaire and group reflection. Participants assessed their understanding of global supply chains, the position of workers in the textile industry, the usefulness of group work, the importance of collective organising and the relevance of the topics discussed.

The average scores on a five-point scale were:

1. understanding of global supply chains: 4.6 / 5,
2. understanding of the position of workers: 4.6 / 5,
3. usefulness of group work: 4.2 / 5,
4. understanding of the importance of collective organising: 4.5 / 5,
5. relevance of the topics discussed: 4.8 / 5.

The unequal distribution of power and responsibility within global supply chains emerged as a particularly important issue during the group reflections. Participants recognised that different actors do not have equal opportunities to influence production and working conditions.

Participants particularly emphasised that individual workers have limited ability to influence their working conditions without the support of their colleagues and organised collective action. This provided an important basis for discussing trade union organising, solidarity and collective representation of interests.

The high average score for the relevance of the topics discussed (4.8 / 5) indicates that participants recognised global supply chains, workers' rights and fast fashion as issues directly connected to contemporary social and working conditions.

The activity therefore contributed to:

1. a better understanding of how global supply chains function,
2. a deeper understanding of the position of workers in the textile industry,
3. an improved ability to recognise the interests and power relations of different actors,
4. an understanding of the limitations of individual action and the importance of collective solutions,
5. a deeper understanding of the importance of trade union organising,
6. connecting everyday consumption with questions of decent work, global inequality and environmental responsibility.

5. Learning Outcomes and Contribution to the Project Objectives

The workshop made an important contribution to the project objectives by enabling university students to explore the connections between decent work, economic relations, consumption, the common good and environmental issues through the concrete and everyday example of fast fashion.

In terms of knowledge, participants gained or deepened their:

1. understanding of how global supply chains function,
2. knowledge of working conditions in the textile industry,
3. understanding of power relations between workers, companies and consumers,
4. understanding of the connections between consumption, production and working conditions,
5. understanding of the importance of trade union and collective organising.

In terms of skills, participants developed their ability to:

1. identify the interests and positions of different actors,
2. analyse power relations within global supply chains,
3. cooperate and develop shared conclusions in smaller groups,
4. participate in joint reflection and discussion using reasoned arguments,
5. connect everyday consumption practices with broader social and economic processes.

In terms of attitudes and behaviour, the activity contributed to:

1. greater awareness of unequal working conditions,
2. stronger solidarity with workers in insecure working conditions,
3. greater willingness to search for solutions collectively,
4. greater awareness of the importance of collective action,
5. the development of a critical perspective on the unequal distribution of power and responsibility within global economic relations.

The activity therefore directly supported the objectives of the Erasmus+ project Youth for Decent Work, the Common Good and the Environment. Through the concrete example of fast fashion, participants connected everyday life and consumption practices with global economic processes, workers' rights and environmental issues, while developing an understanding that ensuring decent work and the common good also requires collective and systemic solutions.