As one of the ILO’s three constituents, employers' organizations ensure that the perspectives and needs of the private sector are taken into account in the ILO’s policies and programmes.

The Bureau for Employers’ Activities (ACT/EMP) in Asia and the Pacific supports employers’ organizations and business membership organizations on a wide range of labour market issues to help create an environment in Asia-Pacific that is attractive to run a business in, and one that promotes sound, sustainable, social and economic development of people, jobs and societies.

ACT/EMP runs technical programmes with employers’ organizations to build their governance, policy and service capacities and enable them to become strong, independent and representative organizations. Additionally, ACT/EMP produces knowledge products and research to help initiate and support policy development on critical issues.

What’s new – The Future of Work

ASEAN in Transformation : How technology is changing jobs and enterprises The ASEAN region could face considerable degrees of technological disruptions due to concentration of labour-intensive manufacturing and services sectors that are characterized with tasks that can be replaced with automation, other digital technologies available today and technologies promised in the near future. As ASEAN continues to develop and strategize for sustained growth, it is critical for employers, government, workers and key stakeholders to take into account the impact of technology on workplaces as a centre piece to their policy discussions and to actively prepare and respond to changes taking place at the national level. In addition, constructive engagement between social partners and education and training institutions is critical so that the future workforce has access to meaningful employment.

    

Recent projects
Fragile zones Countries in the Asia Pacific region are periodically affected by a range of natural disasters and conflict situations that lead to fragility. A number of natural disasters such as typhoons (the Philippines, Pacific Islands) and earthquakes (Nepal) left countries completely destroyed. In addition, political and ethnic conflicts stalled development in economies like Myanmar, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Business membership organizations can play an important and impactful role in preparing enterprises with contingency planning for natural disasters and crisis, in managing an immediate fragile situation, and in post reconstruction.
Women in business and management The growing engagement of women in the labour market has been a major propeller of regional and global growth and competitiveness, and utilizing the skills and talents of both men and women is beneficial for enterprises and society in general. While much progress has been made throughout the years, women's labour market participation is still well below that of men in the Asia-Pacific region. Women also tend to be concentrated in the lower ranks of management and in certain business functions. Gender equality in the workplace remains a global issue that needs local and regional solutions.
Managing labour mobility Many countries in the ASEAN region are facing demographic shifts and their economies require migrant workers to support economic growth. Labour migration is consequently of significant importance for the economic growth of ASEAN Member States and is firmly on the agenda of enterprises and the organizations that represent them. Members of the ASEAN Confederation of Employers are working with the ILO-ACT/EMP and the ASEAN TRIANGLE Project (ATP) to address challenges related to migration and facilitate good intraregional labour mobility.

Policy development	Guide and manuals for employers
Skills, access to finance, regulatory reform, and ASEAN regional integration: Challenges and policy directions for enterprises (2016) - Lao Version	Preventing forced labour in the textile and garment supply chains in Viet Nam: Guide for employers (2016)
Social Protection in ASEAN: Employers perspectives and recommendations (2016)	ASEAN Economic Community: Guide for Business in Cambodia (2016)
Formalizing enterprises in Mongolia: Challenges and policy directions (2015)	Guide: Promoting Equality and Preventing Discrimination at work in Vietnam (2015)
The Road to the ASEAN Economic Community 2015 (2014)