Impact Alpha – Workers in Asian factories are rarely the subject of good news. Unitus Impact is trying to change that with investments that go the source of most of the controversy: corporate supply chains.

The impact venture capital firm’s Livelihood Impact Fund made two investments in companies that leverage the supplier networks of multinational companies to improve the lives of factory workers in Asia. Unitus Impact, based in San Francisco, didn’t disclose the amount of the investments into MobiVi in Vietnam and Micro Benefits in China.

MobiVi provides low-cost financial products and services to garment and electronics workers. Through corporate partnerships, it helps workers access lines of credit and low-cost loans, using their employment status as a qualifier.

Micro Benefits in China works with companies to improve employee benefits schemes and skills training for workers. It markets its benefits to both sides: upward mobility for workers and reduced employee turnover for corporate clients.

Read the entire article on Impact Alpha.