Tackling Social Dumping – How Do We Take Collective Responsibility? - Workshop 2

Workshop 2 asked: what happens when the working clause meets the building site, and who takes responsibility when something is found?

What we heard from the speakers

Søren Sand Kirk (Danske Byggefag) argued that “social dumping” is too vague a term and proposed naming the problem precisely: underpayment, exploitation of workers and labour crime. He urged participants to go out on site, talk to workers and enforce their clauses.

Julia Monrad Lundsteen (Copenhagen Municipality’s Task Force against social dumping) reported that in 2025 two in three document checks found breaches of the working clause, with average underpayment of 21%. Most occurred at the second tier of the supply chain and below.

MT Højgaard carries out around 100 control visits a year. They asked clients to set requirements for contractors’ competence and follow up on them, and warned against rigid documentation systems that hit smaller firms unnecessarily hard.

CIS Gruppen, Tracksite and CrossDoc presented tools for screening, site access and document control. The law on ID cards on larger construction sites was adopted on 3 September 2026.

From requirements to practice

Before the contract, practice is currently relatively strong: many screen contractors and subcontractors and require working, training and ID clauses. The main obstacle is data: what may be collected and shared under GDPR, and how can foreign companies be checked?

During construction, site visits and start-up meetings were seen as effective, especially when workers are informed in several languages. Control takes resources and responsibility is not always clear. Cooperation between clients, contractors, unions and authorities matters.

Follow-up and consequences remain the weakest part. Participants named back pay, penalties and withheld payment, but fewer could describe them being applied consistently. One model that works well is a dedicated team that follows each case to the end.

What we take from the day

The challenge lies mainly in enforcement. Screening works better than follow-up: the chain breaks once a problem is found, and suppliers can stay on site or move to clients who pay less attention to control. When clauses are not enforced, workers see no difference.

Digital tools can strengthen control, but the most effective practice still relies on people who are present on site and talk to workers. The sector needs legal clarity on data and information sharing, and clients should treat pay and working conditions as part of what is delivered. Migrant workers are especially exposed, as they risk losing their job and being sent home.

LOOKING FORWARD

Workshop 3, “Green and Fair Together: Climate and Social Goals Hand in Hand”, takes place on 21 October 2026 and explores how the green transition can be combined with social requirements. We will then turn what we have heard into recommendations for the sector.

Download the full summary here, and the speakers’ presentations are here.