Warehouse work presents a range of discrimination-related risks linked to subcontracting, precarious employment and fragmented supply chains. The ITF Warehousing Principles highlight that outsourced and agency-based models can create unequal treatment between workers performing similar roles, particularly where different contractual arrangements result in disparities in pay, conditions and access to benefits.
Precarious employment can reinforce discriminatory outcomes, as workers in temporary or agency roles—disproportionately migrants, women or younger workers—may face limited access to training, progression opportunities and representation. This can entrench occupational segregation and unequal treatment within the same workplace.
Lone working and highly individualised roles, increasingly shaped by digital management systems, can further obscure discriminatory practices and reduce opportunities to raise concerns or seek support. Language barriers and unequal access to information can also limit awareness of rights and protections
Together, these factors can contribute to systemic inequalities in warehouses, affecting fairness, inclusion and workforce cohesion, while also creating legal and reputational risks for companies operating in complex logistics supply chains.