TEAM SPOTLIGHT: AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE SOCIAL COMPLIANCE TEAM

March 17, 2026

In our Team Spotlight series, we are highlighting teams across the company who are leading operational transformation and business innovation and embody Centric’s philosophy every day.

The Social Compliance team works out of the Greensboro, North Carolina, office.

The Social Compliance team plays a critical role in protecting the integrity of Centric Brands’ global supply chain. The team, part of the Operations organization led by Mike Yerkes, Chief Operating Officer, works across regions, brands, business units, and job functions, to ensure that the factories producing our goods are safe and fair places to work. Their responsibilities are wide-reaching, from identifying and mitigating human rights risks to managing factory onboarding so business teams can place purchase orders, making them essential partners in both responsible sourcing and day-to-day operations.

Navigating Complex Challenges
Global supply chain compliance is rarely straightforward. One of the most persistent issues the team encounters is excessive overtime. When factories experience labor shortages and high production demands from multiple customers, workers often face long hours and operational strain.

To support workers navigating pressures such as this, the team manages a confidential hotline, giving individuals a direct way to raise concerns without fear of retaliation. When serious grievances come through, whether related to workplace safety, wage disputes, or treatment by supervisors, the team follows up directly and with discretion to ensure accountability and change while protecting workers.

“The hotline is one of the most important tools we have. It gives workers a voice, and it gives us insight into what’s actually happening on the ground”.

– Daly Halder, Associate Manager, Compliance

Emerging Issues
The team is also keeping a close eye on how the landscape is shifting. Forced labor and human trafficking remain serious risks across global supply chains, not only in developing markets, but in developed ones too. Addressing modern slavery requires ongoing vigilance, transparency, and a shared sense of responsibility across the entire industry.

Heat stress is another concern that’s become impossible to ignore. In sourcing regions like Bangladesh and Cambodia, rising temperatures mean workers are enduring extreme heat not just on the factory floor, but often at home as well, with real consequences for their long-term health. The team is increasingly focused on practical interventions: better ventilation, hydration protocols, and smarter production planning.

For the Social Compliance team, staying ahead of these issues isn’t abstract; it’s part of what makes the work meaningful.

Purpose-Driven Work
What truly drives the Social Compliance team is purpose. Their work directly impacts workers’ lives, often in regions where labor protections are limited, and risks are real. That responsibility fuels a strong sense of professionalism, accountability, and pride in the work they do every day.

The team’s definition of success is clear: creating more opportunities to make meaningful improvements in workers’ lives. Each factory manager convinced to strengthen safety standards, improve working hours, or ensure timely wage payments represents tangible progress.

Building Connections Across Centric
While the team’s work is serious, their approach is anything but siloed. That spirit was on full display when the seven-member team hosted three days of Meet & Greets in the New York City office last fall, connecting with colleagues across multiple business units.

The back-to-back sessions created space for open dialogue, alignment, and shared learning, reinforcing trust, strengthening partnerships and serving as a powerful reminder that responsible sourcing is truly a collective effort.

“We are really proud to be trusted partners to the business units. A lot of people don’t know that many of my team members have over 20 years of experience in factory auditing across Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Two of them even specialize in training factories to improve health and safety practices and advance women’s empowerment”.

– Kathy Chao, Senior Manager, Compliance, Greensboro

Together, the Social Compliance team and their partners across Centric are helping build a supply chain rooted in integrity, accountability and respect for every worker.