“The ILO should provide specific guidance to enterprises to promote responsible workplace practices along their supply chains, including through the use of the MNE Declaration. This would include the integration of the concept of decent work, the role of employers and workers organisations, and the importance of workers rights and the business case for sustainable practices into broader enterprise development programs.”
ILO; The promotion of sustainable enterprises, 2007
Multinational enterprises are the principal drivers of globalization and through their investment bring substantial benefits to the working and living conditions of millions of people worldwide. Therefore, they have a vital role to play in promoting economic and social progress.
Today, businesses increasingly demand adherence to internationally-accepted labour standards and principles in their operations including in their value chains. These standards and principles underscore the policies that deliver productivity, and encourage companies to operate in a socially responsible manner.
The ILO Tripartite Declaration on Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration) , first adopted in 1977, is built on the realisation of the contribution that MNEs make to economic and social development in countries where they operate or source from. It contains recommendations for enterprises as well as for governments and employers’ and workers’ organizations on how they should apply the principles deriving from ILO Conventions and Recommendations.
Rooted in social dialogue at the international and national levels , the MNE Declaration:
- Sets core labour principles and promotes effective practices for both multinational and domestic enterprises in the areas of employment, skills training, conditions of work and life, and industrial relations.
- Recognizes the complementary responsibility of governments and trade unions in promoting good social practices.
- Is the only international instrument on socially responsible business practices that has been agreed to by governments and representatives of workers’ and employers’ organizations.
During its 30 years, the MNE Declaration has increased its relevance in an ever increasingly globalized world, providing guidance for conduct of multinational enterprises.