Sustainable enterprises
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Sustainable enterprises

The ILO is the only UN body that brings together representatives of governments, employers and workers to jointly shape policies and programmes promoting sustainable enterprises. Drawing on the latest thinking on sustainable development, private sector promotion and good corporate citizenship, the ILO’s International Labour Conference in 2007 addressed the imperatives of sustainable development, fair globalization and the role of enterprises. In its Conclusions it set out a programme for and provided guidance on the promotion of sustainable enterprises. The Sustainable Enterprise Programme applies to businesses of all sizes, from micro to multinational, and all types, including cooperatives and social enterprises. The programme is based on three interrelated and mutually supportive pillars:

1. Creating enabling environment

Assisting member countries to assess and where necessary to adapt policies, laws and regulations. The goal is to encourage investment and entrepreneurship that balances the needs and interests of the enterprise – both workers and employers with the broader aspirations of society.

Reform the business environment

  1. Factsheet on reforming the business environment
Fostering future entrepreneurs

  1. Factsheet on fostering future entrepreneurs
The cooperative way of doing business

  1. Factsheet on cooperatives
Boosting local economy

  1. Factsheet on local economic development

2. Entrepreneurship and Business Development

Helping entrepreneurs - including special target groups like youth and women to start and build successful enterprises. The programme supports efforts to stimulate entrepreneurship through training, provision of business development services, access to information, technology and finance, and connecting enterprises to local value chains.

Entrepreneurship and small enterprise management training

  1. Factsheet on entrepreneurship and small enterprise management training
Women's entrepreneurship development

  1. Factsheet on women's entrepreneurship development
Value chain development for more and better jobs

  1. Factsheet on value chain development
The social economy

  1. Factsheet on the social economy
Enterprise and the green economy

  1. Factsheet on the enterprise and the green economy

3. Sustainable and Responsible Workplace

Linking productivity improvements to better working conditions, good industrial relations and good environmental practices. This includes promoting social dialogue and collective bargaining as well as human resource development in order to raise productivity, minimize use of energy and materials, and reduce environmental impacts; for increased wages and shared benefits; and for good corporate governance and responsible business practices.

Responsible global business

  1. Factsheet on responsible global business
Responsible workplace practices

  1. Factsheet on responsible workplace practices

What's new

  1. Publication

    A cooperative future for people with disabilities
    4 December 2012

Policy framework

  1. The promotion of sustainable enterprises, Report VI, International Labour Conference, 96th Session, 2007
  2. Conclusions concerning the promotion of sustainable enterprises, International Labour Conference, June 2007
  3. Tripartite declaration of principles concerning multinational enterprises and social policy (MNE Declaration) - 4th Edition
  4. Job Creation in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Recommendation, 1998 (No. 189)
  5. Promotion of Cooperatives Recommendation, 2002 (No. 193)
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