BRUSSELS - In its 1998 Declaration, the International Labour Conference affirmed each ILO member State's commitment to fundamental principles and rights at work. But what happens when goods made in one country are sold in another? Can consumers be sure that these principles have been adhered to? How, in a globalized market, can we all encourage respect for basic rights no matter where an item has been produced?
Belgium has come up with one answer: a "social label" for goods produced under conditions which respect the eight ILO core Conventions on freedom of association, collective bargaining, forced and child labour, and equality and non-discrimination. Companies have already started to apply for the label - the world's first government-led initiative of this kind. If the experiment proves successful, the scheme could be adopted in other European countries, and even EU-wide.
How does it work?
The principle behind it is quite simple. Any enterprise, Belgian or foreign, may apply for the label on behalf of one or more products sold on the Belgian market, after proving that each item was produced in accordance with the eight ILO Conventions. It must agree to inspections by "social auditing firms" accredited by the Belgian Ministry of Economic Affairs, and any application for the social label must be co-signed by the representatives of the workers in the firm concerned.
The new law has also set up a "Committee for Socially Responsible Production". Its 16 members, mainly appointed from government, employers, trade unions, and consumers, will decide on applications for the label, control of its use, and any complaints calling for its withdrawal from a firm.
Whether or not the producer country has ratified the eight ILO Conventions (and Belgium is one of the 84 countries which have ratified all of them), it is the making of the product itself which determines if a label is granted. In fact, one aim of the law is to provide technical and financial assistance to producers in developing countries, so as to enable them to "respect the performance criteria for the granting of the label".
There are also penalties - ranging from fines to prison sentences - for those who cheat. Belgian supporters of the social label stress the importance of creating "islands of social excellence" - companies which, against a backdrop of widespread rights abuse, symbolize and promote improved welfare for workers.
The public seems increasingly supportive. A recent opinion poll, carried out by CRIOC (Centre for Research and Information of the Belgian Consumer Organizations), showed that 22 per cent of consumers would prefer to buy "ethical products". Despite this, only 5 per cent of those interviewed had made changes to their consumer habits. Converting these feelings into action will be one of the many tasks facing the new social label.