Ensuring Better Working Conditions: The Role of local laws, ILO Conventions and Supply Chain Monitoring Standards

Today is the International Labour Day. The event that historically inspired this day is rooted in the 19th century and with the first fights related to settling maximum working hours and other minimum labour rights.

The legislation over time has improved in many countries especially in the past 50 -100 years (depending by countries) but the topic of ensuring minimum working conditions standards is still crucial in different locations and through the value chain of several industries.

While local laws can still have some misalignment, a great support is given by the International Labour Organization (ILO), (established around 1920). ILO set international labor standards through its conventions. These conventions are designed to safeguard the rights and well-being of workers worldwide.

The ILO operates by creating international labor standards through its conventions, which are legally binding while ratified by member states that shall ensure to embed the minimum requirements set in ILO into the local laws. These conventions cover a wide range of labor-related issues, including working hours, occupational safety and health, child labor, discrimination, and social security.

For example, the Convention 155 on "Occupational Safety and Health" sets out principles for ensuring workers have safe and healthy working conditions; the Convention 182 on the "Worst Forms of Child Labour" aim to eliminate child labor in all its forms, ensuring that children are not subjected to hazardous work.

While the existence of these conventions is crucial, their effectiveness depends on ratification and implementation by member states as well as the strong reference to ILO conditions in standards developed to monitor supplier along all the entire supply chain. 

International Standards such SA8000 (SAI), Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI), SMETA, RSCI etc. embeds in their requirements as minimum the alignment to ILO conventions also applicable to suppliers located in countries where ratification has not being signed or where the legal endorsement of the requirements is often disobeyed.

The intervention of private stakeholders requiring the suppliers to prove compliance to international best practices contribute to the improvement of working conditions globally. This trend is increasing with the new legal requirements on supply chain due diligence (eg. csddd (EU), lksg (DE), euflr (EU), modern slavery act (UK) etc).

A part from complying with Local and ILO conventions, it is demanded by suppliers to demonstrate systems in place to ensure Elements of Safe Working Conditions and to conduct audits by third parties's professional to seek for the evidence of compliance related aspects.

Six steps are normally required to ensure a safe working conditions’s system is in place:

1. Risk Assessment and Hazard Identification

The first step in ensuring safe working conditions is conducting thorough risk assessments and identifying potential hazards in the workplace. This involves inspecting the premises, processes, and equipment to pinpoint any factors that could pose risks to employee health and safety. Common hazards include chemical exposures and physical dangers like machinery or electrical hazards.

2. Implementing Safety Policies and Procedures

Once hazards are identified, employers must establish and enforce comprehensive safety policies and procedures. This includes protocols for using personal protective equipment (PPE), guidelines for safe operation of machinery, emergency response procedures, and rules for reporting incidents or near misses. Clear communication of these policies to all employees, in the language understood by workers, is crucial for compliance and effectiveness.

3. Providing Training and Education

Employee training is vital for promoting safety awareness and ensuring that workers understand how to perform their jobs safely. Training programs should cover topics such as hazard recognition, proper use of equipment, emergency procedures, and ergonomics. Ongoing education keeps safety practices current and reinforces their importance in the workplace culture.

4. Maintaining Equipment and Infrastructure

Regular maintenance  is essential to prevent malfunctions and accidents. Employers should schedule routine inspections, repairs, and replacements to ensure that tools and machinery are in optimal working condition.

5. Encouraging Employee Involvement

Employees are often the best source of information about workplace hazards and potential safety improvements. Employers should encourage open communication and active participation from workers in safety initiatives. This can include establishing safety committees, conducting safety audits, and soliciting feedback from employees on safety concerns.

6. Continuous Improvement and Adaptation

Safety practices should evolve with changes in technology, regulations, and industry standards. Employers should continuously assess and improve safety measures based on new information and feedback. This includes staying updated on best practices and investing in innovative solutions to mitigate emerging risks.

In summary, the contribution of institution and private stakeholders can sponsor the enhancement of the working conditions’ s in the organizations and in countries where the workers’ protection is still scarse. 

ILO plays, since a century, a crucial role to set minimum benchmarks and it is always important to recall how crucial it is to still focus on workers protection also in advance countries.