HANOI (ILO News) – A high-level Swiss delegation toured a garment factory in the southern province of Dong Nai on 12 July to witness positive changes in working conditions and competitiveness of the country’s leading export industry and the fruits of the partnership between the Swiss government, Better Work programme and Vietnamese industry.

Swiss Federal Councillor, Guy Parmelin, Head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research, led the delegation.

“We were thrilled to show our Swiss visitors improvements made to protect workers and boost production,” said Paula Albertson, Better Work Viet Nam Programme Manager. “Better Work demonstrates that compliance and social dialogue are good for business. This Swiss visit shows that compliance with international labour standards are demanded in the global economy.”

Better Work Viet Nam is a flagship programme of the ILO and the International Finance Corporation to improve working conditions and boost competitiveness of the garment industry. The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) of Switzerland is one of its main donors.

Since 2010, Saitex International Dong Nai Company has been part of Better Work Viet Nam. The factory produces jeans and employs more than 4,000 employees. The factory shared with the Swiss delegation factory improvements in efficiency, quality and working conditions made during their time collaborating with Better Work.

Better Work has been operating in Viet Nam since 2009 providing compliance assessment, advisory factory visits and training services to deliver clear and continuous improvement at factories. The programme now covers 359 factories employing over 572,000 workers in the north and south.

Better Work Viet Nam factories have recorded an average increase in profitability by 25 per cent after four years with the programme. Compliance has increased, and that has helped the bottom line.

For more information on the Better Work Programme please see https://betterwork.org/.