Founded in 2001, the Institute of Contemporary Observation is a not-for-profit organization focussing on labour rights and social justice. Its activities include research and advocacy, corporate social responsibility consulting, worker's education, legal aid and community services for migrant workers. Based in Shenzhen, it has representatives in Shanghai and Nanjing, Jiangsu province and has 20 full-time and 16 part-time staff, and more than 50 volunteers. More than 200,000 migrant workers have benefited directly from its projects and services in the past 12 years.