1. E-learning module is available in 7 languages: English, French, Spanish, ChineseJapanese, Portuguese, Russian

  1. MNE Declaration 6th edition 2022

  2. Video

    Voices from national focal points for the promotion of the MNE Declaration

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Email : multi@ilo.org

Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration)

The MNE Declaration is the only ILO instrument that provides direct guidance to enterprises (multinational and national) on social policy and inclusive, responsible and sustainable workplace practices.

It is the only global instrument in this area and the only one that was elaborated and adopted by governments, employers and workers from around the world. It was adopted more than 40 years ago and amended several times (in 2000, 2006, 2017), most recently in 2022. Its principles are addressed to multinational and national enterprises, governments of home and host countries, and employers’ and workers’ organizations providing guidance in such areas as employment, training, conditions of work and life, industrial relations as well as general policies. The guidance is founded substantially on principles contained in international labour standards.

To stimulate the uptake of its principles by all parties, the ILO Governing Body has adopted operational tools.

Understanding the MNE Declaration and putting its principles into practice

  1. E-learning module "Business and Decent Work: an introduction to the MNE Declaration" is available in English, French, SpanishChineseJapanese, Portuguese, Russian
  2. Resources, videos and briefs
  3. Training opportunities
  4. Country case studies

What's new

  1. GB.350/POL/5

    Promotional activities with regard to the MNE Declaration, including in the context of relevant developments outside the ILO

    This document provides an overview of the promotion of the MNE Declaration, and how constituents are using its principles and operational tools to advance decent work and social justice, including in the context of relevant developments outside the ILO. The Governing Body last provided comprehensive guidance in November 2022 and has taken additional decisions in relation to the MNE Declaration on other agenda items at its 346th, 347th and 349th Sessions. The Office requests further guidance in relation to ongoing and new promotional opportunities and a decision regarding the regional follow-up mechanism.

  2. News

    Constituents from Türkiye formulate a way forward on advancing decent work through responsible business and investment

    As one of the fastest growing economies in the OECD, Türkiye plays an important role in the area of trade and investment, both regionally and globally. In this regard, the government has placed responsible business conduct and human rights due diligence high on the political agenda. To address these priorities, a delegation of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security as well as representatives from employers’ and workers’ organizations from Türkiye participated in a four-day workshop at the ITC-ILO, (16 -19 January, 2024).

  3. News

    Promoting responsible business conduct for decent work is crucial for sustainable value chains in Bangladesh

    With the financial support of the Government of Japan, the event organized in Dhaka, Bangladesh on January 24 and 25, 2024, attracted over 100 participants from various sectors, including government, trade unions, employers’ organizations, enterprises, development partners, and civil society organizations. The consultation aimed to facilitate dialogue among participants for assessing what is needed to put the right ecosystem in place to promote responsible business conduct in and beyond the apparel sector in Bangladesh.

  4. Project

    EU and ILO to strengthen constituents’ capacity on labour dimension of human rights due diligence

    A new EU-funded action will enable the ILO to inform and train its constituents globally on effective and inclusive human rights due diligence and responsible business conduct, thereby advancing decent work. The action supports the implementation of the labour dimension of the upcoming EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive.

  5. ILO Brief

    Promoting gender equality through responsible business conduct: the role of governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations

    This brief aims to highlight how responsible business conduct can promote gender equality in the world of work. Achieving gender equality and women’s economic empowerment requires systematic, proactive and transformative change in a range of institutions and areas of action. Women face multifold barriers and gender-based discrimination throughout the employment cycle due to inequalities, legal impediments, cultural mindsets and stereotypes. Governments, employer and business membership organizations (EBMOs) and workers’ organizations, as well as enterprises have a critical role to play in helping to eliminate these discriminatory practices.

  6. News

    Empowering Investors: ILO at the 27th World Investment Conference in New Delhi

    The ILO participated in the 27th World Investment Conference, themed 'Empowering Investors: Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) Pioneering Future Growth,' in New Delhi, India, from December 11 to 14, 2023. During this event, the ILO launched the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for measuring the impact of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on decent work, aligning with the guidance provided in the ILO MNE Declaration.

  7. News

    ILO at the 12th United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights Forum

    The 12th United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights, titled "Looking at the past, anticipating the future", was held from 27 to 29 November 2023. The Forum was chaired by the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights and organised by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The ILO participated extensively in the Forum by organising sessions, delivering opening remarks, and participating in discussions during the sessions.

  8. News

    Regional Seminar advances dialogue on responsible business and decent work in Latin America

    The III Regional Seminar on Responsible Business Conduct and Decent Work (Lima, Peru, 21-23 November 2023) presented a valuable platform for governments, employers, and workers representatives from Latin America to enhance dialogue on the labour aspects of responsible business conduct (RBC).

  9. News

    Nigeria Hosts Tripartite Workshop on Sustainable Business Practices and Decent Work: A Collaborative Initiative for Economic Growth

    In partnership with the Federal Government, the International Labour Organization (ILO), with funding from the Government of France, orchestrated a pivotal tripartite workshop on the ILO MNE Declaration and other instruments and initiatives to foster sustainable, responsible, and inclusive business practices, nurturing sustained economic growth and the realization of decent work.

  10. News

    VIII Regional Forum on Business and Human Rights in Latin America and the Caribbean

    More than 300 representatives of governments, business, workers’ organizations, civil society and indigenous peoples gathered in the VIII Regional Forum on Business and Human Rights in Latin America and the Caribbean to discuss concrete actions to advance respect for human rights in business operations.

  11. News

    Towards a sustainable and responsible mineral supply chain in China

    In the 2023 International Forum on Sustainable Mineral Supply Chains, ILO joined hands with key stakeholders in the mining sector in China to promote socially responsible labour practices in the mineral supply chain. During the forum, the ILO and the Responsible Critical Minerals Initiative co-hosted a seminar where leaders and experts from the government, social organizations, and academia highlighted the significance of socially responsible labour practices, clarified governmental and enterprise roles in supply chains, and shared tools and best practices for improved labour relations

  12. News

    National Workshop on Sustainable and Responsible Business Practices for the realization of decent work in South Africa

    South Africa’s Department of Employment and Labour in partnership with the ILO, hosted a 3-day tripartite workshop and dialogue session to develop a national roadmap for the promotion of sustainable and responsible business practices and investments. The national roadmap developed by ILO Constituents seek to promote decent work and social justice based on the guidance provided by the MNE Declaration.

  13. ILO Brief

    Assessing the Impact of FDI on Decent Work - Exploring KPIs for Foreign Direct Investment Impact Assessment

    After the COVID-19 pandemic, the financial gap in supporting the SDG goals has risen from $2.5 trillion to $4.2 trillion, emphasizing the vital role of foreign investments in achieving these targets. SDG 8, on "Decent Work and Economic Growth", has witnessed limited progress toward its goal. 88% of the IPAs identified SDG 8 as a primary focus area for the next five years; 65% of the agencies highlighted the need for KPIs linked to SDG 8 to assess the impact of FDI on decent work. This brief sets out possible KPIs and strategies for collecting the relevant data.

  14. News

    The UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights comes to ILO for technical exchanges on the business and human rights agenda

    On 4 October 2023, the Working Group on Business and Human Rights came to the ILO for a full-day of technical discussions to identify opportunities for closer collaboration and to strengthen coherence and synergies on the business and human rights agenda.

  15. News

    ILO and METI co-host dialogue event on RBC in Jakarta, Indonesia

    On 18 September 2023, the ILO and METI co-hosted a dialogue event promoting business and human rights, titled Responsible Business, Human Rights and Decent Work in Asia: Harnessing synergies between human rights and inclusive growth, which attracted more than 220 participants, in-person and online, from various partners including governments and workers’ and employers’ organisations from Asian countries as well as the governments of G7 nations.

  16. ILO Brief

    A holistic approach for the elimination of child labour and its roots causes in supply chains: Mainstreaming the promotion of the MNE Declaration in the ACCEL-Africa project

    Adopting a holistic approach is key to address child labour and its root causes. In the very early stages of its implementation, the ACCEL Africa project - ‘Accelerating Action for the Elimination of Child Labour in Supply Chains in Africa’ (2018-2023), implemented by the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work Branch (FUNDAMENTALS), established a collaboration with the ILO Multinational Enterprises and Enterprises Engagement Unit (MULTI).

  17. News

    ILO Joins World Investment for Development Alliance (WIDA)

    In June 2023, ILO became a member of the World Investment for Development Alliance (WIDA). Launched at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in May 2022, WIDA's main objective is to promote sustainable and inclusive investment through an open and structured network of organizations drawn from the investment-for-development community.

  18. News

    Governing Body adopts ILO strategy on decent work in supply chains

    During its 347th session, the ILO Governing Body adopted the ILO strategy on decent work in supply chains. The MNE Declaration features prominently in the strategy as well as with concrete actions such as strengthening the ILO Helpdesk for Business to support due diligence efforts.

  19. News

    Building Capacity in Investment Promotion to Advance the SDGs in least developed countries (LDCs)

    A side event during the LDC 5 Conference highlighted challenges faced by least developed countries (LDCs) in the promotion of investment in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-related sectors. It also presented strategies, programmes and tools that governments can use to target and facilitate investment in SDG projects. This includes capacity-building programmes and digital tools that are offered by a coalition of UN entities, including through a new multi-agency capacity-building programme for investment promotion agencies (IPAs) of LDCs in which the ILO is a partner.

  20. News

    New e-learning on enterprises and indigenous peoples launched

    The new e-learning helps enterprises to better understand the strategic relevance of a good engagement with indigenous peoples in their areas of operation. The training course, developed by the Responsible Business Conduct in Latin America (RBCLAC) project, is addressed to employers’ organizations and their members, as well as enterprises operating in Latin America. The e-learning is available in Spanish, and it is composed of four interactive modules, which offer a range of concrete tools for enterprises and an actionable checklist tailored to each participant. The e-learning was developed in consultation with Employers’ Organizations in the region.

  21. News

    The ILO and the EU will continue to promote decent work through responsible business conduct in Latin America and the Caribbean

    After four years of implementation (2019-2022), the Responsible Business Conduct in Latin America project will extend its activities for one more year, with the support of the Department for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) of the EU. The project, jointly implemented by ILO, OHCHR and OECD will build on the results achieved, scaling up interventions and focussing on selected sectors. ILO will continue to work with governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations on the promotion of the labour dimension of the business and human rights agenda in the region.

  22. News

    Policy recommendations for Japan towards achieving the labour dimension of corporate social responsibility

    In the context of growing trends towards mandatory human rights due diligence, this report provides policy recommendations taking into account the guidance provided by the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, the ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

  23. Country case study

    Paving the way for the application to the principles of the MNE Declaration in the fish-processing and tourism sectors in Cape Verde

    National and sectoral approaches are put in place to promote the MNE Declaration and encourage the uptake of its principles. Experience-sharing with other Portuguese-speaking countries such as Mozambique and Portugal are contributing to this process.

  24. ILO Governing Body, 346th Session, October-November 2022

    Taking stock five years after the adoption of the revised Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy

    This paper provides an overview of the progress made since 2017, as well as opportunities in the current context to further promote the use of the MNE Declaration to advance decent work and inclusive economic growth.

    Decision on taking stock five years after the adoption of the revised MNE Declaration

  25. News

    Building a coherent and coordinated approach for the promotion of sustainable and responsible investments and business practices for the realization of decent work in Egypt 

    Cairo, Egypt, 10-12 October 2022

    A roadmap for the promotion of sustainable, responsible and inclusive investments and business practices for the realization of decent work in Egypt, built upon the ILO MNE Declaration was presented after a three-day workshop facilitated by the ILO with representatives from Government, Employers’ and Workers’ organizations in attendance.

  26. Forum

    4th United Nations Responsible Business and Human Rights Forum Asia-Pacific

    Bangkok, Thailand, 20-22 September 2022

    The 4th UN Responsible Business and Human Rights Forum co-organized by ILO and other UN agencies under the theme “Harnessing Levers of Changes” took place in Bangkok, Thailand from 20-22 September 2022. With the participation of different stakeholders across the region, the Forum explored what has worked to promote business respect for human rights and the environment and what the remaining challenges were, as well as what novel strategies could be devised to accelerate progress in this area.

  27. News

    VII Regional Forum on Business and Human Rights in Latin America and the Caribbean concludes

    From 13-15 July, over 2000 participants, including policy makers, employers’ and workers’ organizations, enterprises, indigenous and afro-descendants’ peoples, human rights defenders, civil society organizations and academia from 54 countries gathered in Bogotá to discuss Business and Human Rights in Latin America and the Caribbean.

  28. News

    ILO workshop among OECD National Contact Points for Responsible Business Conduct to enhance policy coherence on international labour standards

    Organized from 20 June to 1 July 2022, the workshop highlighted the coherence and linkages that exist between the ILO MNE Declaration and the OECD MNE Guidelines, in particular concerning issues related to decent work and human rights, including in the context of due diligence.

  29. ILO Brief

    The elimination of child labour and its root causes – the guidance offered by the ILO MNE Declaration

    With the COVID-19 pandemic, the global progress against child labour has stalled for the first time and millions of children are put at risk of being pushed into child labour. Now more than ever, governments, social partners and businesses – national and multinational, small, medium and large – have a critical role to play in tackling child labour and addressing its root causes, including gaps in legislation and/or law enforcement, the informal economy, lack of freedom of association and collective bargaining, poverty and inadequate social protection, discrimination, lack of education and unsustainable business practices. By highlighting the relevant recommendations of the Tripartite Declaration of Principles Concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration), this joint guidance note by the ILO Multinational Enterprises and Enterprises Engagement Unit (MULTI) and the ILO Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work Branch (FUNDAMENTALS) aims to promote more comprehensive strategies and actions that businesses operating all over the world can take by adopting a holistic approach to the elimination of child labour and its root causes in their business operations.

  30. News

    Nepal appoints a national focal point for the promotion of the MNE Declaration

    Nepal is the second country in Asia to appoint a national focal point for the promotion of the MNE Declaration and the application of its principles.

  31. Self-assessment tool for enterprises

    A self-assessment tool for enterprises based on the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration)

    This self-assessment tool for enterprises has been developed by the ILO, together with the International Organization of Employers (IOE), to support enterprises that seek to benchmark their corporate social policies and practices against the guidance provided in the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration).

  32. News

    Ghana appoints four national focal points to promote of the MNE Declaration in engagements with local and foreign enterprises and investors

    Ghana is the first country to designate the national investment promotion agency as one of the national focal points to promote the MNE Declaration and the application of its principles.

  33. Briefing note

    The linkages between international labour standards, the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights

    This briefing note, jointly produced by the ILO and the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, explains the interconnectivity between international labour standards, the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights, and National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights (NAPs). It is addressed to governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations, who all have a critical role in the development, adoption and implementation of such NAPs.

  34. Questions and Answers

    Company-Union Dialogue:  An operational tool of the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration)

    The ILO company-union dialogue is intended to support “dialogues involving multinational enterprises and the representatives of the workers affected, in particular trade unions, on the application of the principles of the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration).” This Q&A document provides information on various aspects of the company-union dialogue and explains how the ILO facility operates in practice. It is based on actual questions received.

  35. Briefing note

    COVID-19 and multinational enterprises: Impacts on FDI, trade and decent work in Asia and the Pacific

    April 2021

    Multinational enterprises (MNEs) and their supply chains have been heavily affected by the COVID-19 crisis, with millions of workers suffering adverse impacts. This brief provides evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on FDI and trade in Asia and the Pacific. The brief also discusses the impact on MNEs and decent work and highlights how social dialogue can inform the design and implementation of policies to ensure a human-centred recovery.

  36. News

    Stakeholders of Japan's National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights issued Joint Comments following dialogue facilitated by the ILO

    Stakeholders comprising the Working Group and Advisory Committee on the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights, in which ILO Office for Japan is participating as a member, have released comments on the Plan.

  37. Policy brief

    Restructuring for recovery and resilience in response to the COVID-19 crisis

    This brief provides guidance to companies on good practices on restructuring in response to the COVID-19 crisis, consistent with the provisions of international labour standards. It also suggests actions that employers’ and workers’ organizations can take to support enterprises and workers during restructuring.

  38. News

    ILO revises its landmark Declaration on multinational enterprises

    17 March 2017

    The ILO has revised its landmark MNE Declaration on multinational enterprises and social policy, which provides guidance on how companies can contribute to the realization of decent work for all.