Labour rights and corporate accountability in Zambia: Evidence from corporate governance practices

Abstract

This study examined the extent to which labour rights are integrated into corporate governance and business practices in Zambia, with particular attention paid to how organisational policy commitments translate into operational accountability. Guided by stakeholder theory and accountability theory, the study conceptualised labour rights as a core governance obligation rather than a discretionary corporate social responsibility function. The research was motivated by persistent labour rights violations in high-risk sectors, such as mining, agriculture, construction, and manufacturing, despite the existence of national labour legislation and international human rights frameworks. A convergent mixed-methods research design was employed. The target population consisted of employees and managers in medium-to-large enterprises operating within the identified sectors, as well as labour inspectors, trade union representatives, civil society actors, and government officials involved in labour governance. Quantitative data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to 336 employees and managers, selected using stratified random sampling based on sectoral representation. Qualitative data was generated from 32 purposefully selected key informants to capture institutional, regulatory, and experiential perspectives on labour rights enforcement. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and logistic regression in SPSS to assess the relationship between governance mechanisms and labour rights violations. Qualitative interview data was thematically analysed using NVivo, following an inductive coding approach. The findings revealed that only a minority of firms fully integrate labour rights into governance structures, with most demonstrating minimal to moderate integration. Qualitative results highlighted systemic challenges, including informal employment practices, weak enforcement capacity, limited rights awareness, a fear of retaliation, ineffective grievance mechanisms, and limited board-level oversight of labour issues. The study concludes that enforcement deficits and reliance on voluntary accountability frameworks, not policy gaps, drive labour rights failures in Zambia. It recommends mandatory human rights due diligence, strengthened labour inspection capacity, accessible grievance and remedy mechanisms, and the formalisation of employment relationships to enhance corporate accountability.