What Solidarity Center does

The Solidarity Center is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization founded in 1997 by the AFL-CIO to support workers' rights, fair labor standards, and collective bargaining through direct partnership with workers, trade unions, and community organizations worldwide. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., it operates programs in more than 60 countries through a network of 900+ partner organizations including 500 trade unions, providing training, resources, and legal support to help workers organize, negotiate, and advocate for safe workplaces, fair wages, and democratic participation. Its core programmatic offerings include the Global Labor Leadership Initiative (GLLI), conducted with Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations, the ILAW Network of 1,500 labor lawyers across 100+ countries, the Platform Worker Organizing Program aligned with ILO Convention 193, the Convention 190 ratification campaign, and research publications such as 'Carbon Markets, Unseen Workers' addressing labor rights in African carbon markets.

The organization's business model is grant- and donation-funded rather than product- or service-priced. Revenue streams disclosed include U.S. Department of Labor ILAB grants (approximately $80 million across 11 projects, terminated in 2025), funding from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs routed through LO Norway, AFL-CIO affiliation support, foundation and philanthropic contributions, and individual donations accepted through the Network for Good platform. There is no pricing model because the organization provides its services free of charge to workers and unions. In March 2025, ILAB terminated all 11 of the Solidarity Center's funded projects; the organization responded by filing suit with Public Citizen Litigation Group, securing a favorable jurisdictional ruling in July 2025, and securing European government funding via LO Norway to sustain work in Palestine and Ukraine.

Name

Solidarity Center

Legal name

The Solidarity Center

Website

https://solidaritycenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Solidarity Center is a U.S.-based nonprofit founded in 1997 by the AFL-CIO that partners with 900+ worker organizations and 500 trade unions across 60+ countries to provide training, legal support, and advocacy for fair wages, safe workplaces, and collective bargaining rights.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Labor Rights Advocacy Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits (BPAGADAI), Volunteer Program Funding, Scholarships & Fundraising Support (EDAIAGAO)

Keywords

• Labor rights advocacy
• Worker organizing support
• Collective bargaining training
• Union capacity building
• International labor standards

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Philanthropic Funding: The Solidarity Center receives funding from private foundations and philanthropic sources to support its global worker rights programs.
2. U.S. Department of Labor ILAB Grants: Funding from the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) to support international labor rights programs. The organization had $80 million in ILAB grants terminated in 2025.
3. Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Funding: LO Norway, with funding from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, supports programs in Palestine and Ukraine.
4. AFL-CIO Funding: Founded by the AFL-CIO in 1997, the organization maintains ties to the U.S. labor federation.
5. Individual Donations: The organization accepts donations through Network for Good platform.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Solidarity Center is a U.S.-based nonprofit labor rights organization that partners directly with workers, trade unions, and worker associations in 60+ countries to deliver capacity building, leadership training, legal support, and advocacy. Its core offerings include the Global Labor Leadership Initiative (a Cornell University-partnered union leadership program), platform worker organizing support tied to ILO Convention 193, Convention 190 ratification campaigns, and research publications on labor conditions in global supply chains.

Product overview

The Solidarity Center is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization that functions as a worker rights organization rather than a technology product company. Its primary offerings are programmatic initiatives and advocacy services including: the Global Labor Leadership Initiative (GLLI), a partnership with Cornell University for union leader development; research publications such as the Carbon Markets, Unseen Workers report analyzing labor rights in African carbon markets; a Platform Worker Organizing Program supporting app-based workers globally; and Convention 190 campaign support for violence and harassment prevention at work. These programs operate in more than 60 countries partnering with over 900 organizations including 500 trade unions. The organization does not offer a technology product platform but instead provides training, resources, and legal support to workers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Global Labor Leadership Initiative (GLLI) A multi-year leadership development program, conducted in partnership with Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations, that connects union leaders worldwide to share strategies, build stronger movements, and develop skills for defending worker rights and democracy. Since 2022, the program has graduated 120 worker leaders from 50 countries.
• Platform Worker Organizing Program Global initiative building power with platform workers to create a broad-based movement where app-based workers organize, collectively bargain, and advocate for labor rights and improved working conditions under ILO Convention 193.
• Convention 190 Ratification Campaign Support Program supporting unions and worker rights organizations in campaigning for ratification and implementation of ILO Convention 190 on violence and harassment in the world of work, including legal advocacy and policy reform assistance.
• ILAW Network Legal Advocacy Network of 1,500 labor lawyers and legal advocates representing workers and unions in more than 100 countries, providing legal support, litigation assistance, and advocacy on worker rights issues.

Quantifiable outcome

• 120 worker leaders from 50 countries trained through GLLI program since 2022
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Public Citizen Litigation GroupcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 15 April 2025Public Citizen Litigation Group represents the Solidarity Center, Global March Against Child Labour, and American Institutes for Research in a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Labor's termination of ILAB-funded programs.
• Global March Against Child LabourcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2025Co-plaintiff in lawsuit challenging termination of global labor rights programs. Joint advocacy for child labor elimination.
• American Institutes for Research (AIR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2025Co-plaintiff in lawsuit challenging termination of ILAB-funded programs. Joint advocacy for international labor rights.
• United Steelworkers (USW)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership with USW to support Firestone Liberia workers, providing training and technical assistance to unions. Works with Liberian unions in key extractive industries such as mining and rubber.
• Organization of Trade Unions of West Africa (OTUWA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Supports OTUWA's 'Health Care Is a Human Right' campaign, which expanded from 5 to 8 countries. OTUWA represents trade union national centers in 15 ECOWAS countries.
• Public Services InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Global union federation representing 30 million workers in 154 countries partnered with OTUWA's health care campaign to advocate for increased health care funding.
• Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor RelationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership with Cornell ILR to organize the Global Labor Leadership Initiative (GLLI), connecting union leaders worldwide to share strategies and build stronger movements. Since 2022, 120 worker leaders from 50 countries have completed the program.
• International Lawyers Assisting Workers (ILAW) NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Launched by the Solidarity Center in 2018, the ILAW Network comprises 1,500 labor lawyers and legal advocates representing workers and unions in more than 100 countries. Deeply involved in ICJ right to strike case since 2012.
• AFL-CIOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997Founded in 1997 by the AFL-CIO, the Solidarity Center operates as an independent nonprofit organization. The AFL-CIO is the largest federation of unions in the United States, and this founding relationship remains a core partnership for the organization.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Anti-Slavery International: Anti-Slavery International works to eliminate forced labor and human trafficking globally, an area of explicit programmatic overlap with the Solidarity Center; both organizations partner with unions in supply chains to combat forced labor.
• Global March Against Child Labour: Global March Against Child Labour is a co-plaintiff with the Solidarity Center in the ILAB termination lawsuit and a direct partner on child labor elimination advocacy; both share a mission focus on vulnerable workers and international labor standards.
• IndustriALL Global Union: IndustriALL is a global union federation representing 50 million workers in mining, manufacturing, and other sectors where the Solidarity Center is active (e.g., Firestone Liberia rubber workers, extractive industries in West Africa); both build union power across similar supply chains.
• Worker Rights Consortium (WRC): The WRC investigates labor conditions in apparel and footwear factories and is a co-founder of the Cotton Campaign, of which the Solidarity Center is a member; both conduct supply-chain labor rights monitoring.
• Verité: Verité is a nonprofit focused on labor rights in global supply chains, providing research and capacity building to combat forced labor; both organizations share a focus on worker empowerment and supply-chain accountability.
• International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC): ITUC is the world's largest trade union federation representing 200 million workers across 167 countries, with similar mission focus on workers' rights, collective bargaining, and labor standards; the Solidarity Center frequently partners with ITUC affiliates in-country.

Broad incumbents

• Amnesty International: Amnesty International is a global human rights organization with documented work on labor rights and freedom of association; both organizations conduct advocacy, publish research, and operate transnationally on worker protections.
• Human Rights Watch: Human Rights Watch is a major international human rights organization that covers labor rights within its broader portfolio; both publish reports and advocate for global worker protections, though HRW covers a much wider thematic scope.
• International Labour Organization (ILO): The ILO is the UN agency setting global labor standards, including Convention 193 (platform workers) and Convention 190 (violence/harassment) that the Solidarity Center helps implement; both advance worker rights globally, with ILO operating as the standards-setter and Solidarity Center as the field implementer.
• Fair Labor Association (FLA): The FLA is a multi-stakeholder initiative promoting fair labor standards in global supply chains, with comparable code-of-conduct work and worker voice programs; both organizations address workplace conditions and labor rights compliance.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SolidarityCntr
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCn-GrFX5jg1Fh-19povBUpw
• Facebookfacebook.com/solidaritycenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/solidarity-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/solidarity_center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Solidarity Center