Imfino News

Jan 09, 2018, 10:00 ET - Ulula, a software and analytics platform that equips companies with tools to monitor human rights risks, announced today it raised $1 million in private seed funding to expand its mobile platform that enables organizations to engage workers directly, in real time, across global supply chains.

A recent report estimates that over 40 million people work in conditions of forced labor and modern slavery. Powering a workforce that drives an annual $150 billion in profit to the global economy, forced labor has quickly become a top global challenge — engaging vulnerable workers facing exploitative conditions is vital to combat its occurrence.

"There is a rise in regulations and consumer demand for greater insight into the conditions under which people labor to create the products we consume every day," said Antoine Heuty, Ulula's CEO. "Ulula is creating the most scalable platform to help companies manage and measure their labor risks. In doing so, we are supporting the creation of ethical supply chains and redefining what it means to effectively monitor for labor abuses."

Funding was secured from an impact investing initiative of Humanity United, a foundation that is part of the Omidyar Group, and Good & Well, an impact investment firm that partners with early stage social purpose businesses.

"Companies can only address and improve working conditions in global supply chains if they have efficient and effective tools,' said Ed Marcum, a Managing Director at Humanity United. "Ulula's software makes it possible for companies to gain visibility into working conditions at scale, and to strengthen business performance and worker satisfaction through data-driven analytics."  

"Ulula enables direct and ongoing dialogue between companies and the workers in their supply chains, setting a new standard for risk mitigation to benefit workers and strengthen business. We're excited to be part of such scalable impact," explains Alexandra Baillie, Managing Director of Good & Well.

About Ulula

Ulula's platform clients can access continuous information on working conditions based on worker driven insights. Its scalable model leverages more than 800 telecom partnerships and local partnerships creating a platform capable of reaching the most rural and vulnerable populations using mobile technology. The solution can be configured on almost any communication channel in any language.  

Antoine Heuty, who has spent 15 years driving transparency in the extractive sector and Manu Kabahizi, who has spent over a decade leveraging technology for social impact, founded Ulula to help companies operate more ethical supply chains. Ulula's client list includes some of the world's largest organizations from the food and beverage, garment manufacturing, mining, agriculture, and sustainable certification sectors.

About Humanity United

Humanity United is a foundation dedicated to bringing new approaches to global problems that have long been considered intractable. We build, lead, and support efforts to change the systems that contribute to problems like human trafficking, mass atrocities, and violent conflict. HU is part of the Omidyar Group, which represents the philanthropic, personal, and professional interests of the Omidyar family.

About Good & Well

Based in Toronto, Good & Well  is a boutique impact investing firm that partners with early stage social purpose businesses to help drive a more conscious form of capitalism and a more purposeful, sustainable economy for all.