ILO Brasilia prepares to launch SCORE Programme in Brazil

The SCORE programme will be launched in Brazil for three years to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and reverse damages caused by poor working conditions in the Brazilian apparel sector.

Article | 26 February 2021
This year, the ILO Office in Brasilia will launch a three year Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises (SCORE) programme in Brazil. Funds for this programme have been made available under an Agreement between the ILO and the Federal Labour Prosecutor´s Office (MPT). These come from a set of fines from companies of different economic sectors. The purpose of the funding is to reverse damages caused by poor working conditions in the apparel sector in Brazil. USD 898,750 have been allocated to support the programme.

Female worker operating in a factory in the apparel sector
ILO will coordinate its intervention with the “Programme More Brazil” (Plano Mais Brasil), launched by Ministry of Economy in February 2020. The goal of the “Programme More Brazil” is to train and strengthen around 300,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs), including trade, services and industrial sectors by 2022.

The SCORE Programme fits well with the Programme More Brazil, which focuses on improving management and optimizing the production on the shop floor. The Programme includes key partnerships with the National Industrial Apprenticeship Service (SENAI), the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (APEX-Brazil), the Brazilian Agency for Industrial Development (ABDI), the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (SEBRAE) and the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES).

The ILO Value Chain team will support the project by conducting a rapid market assessment to identify key sectors that can be targeted for the interventions.

The ILO is very proud to launch this joint work aiming at strengthening professional training and lifelong learning as tool to foster productivity and working conditions of Brazilian enterprises, which is equally beneficial to employers, workers and the Brazilian economy and society”, stresses the Director of ILO’s Country Office for Brazil, Martin Hahn.
As a driving force for job creation, small and medium enterprises play a pivotal role in the collect effort to build sustainable recovery from COVID-19, with more and better jobs, healthy and resilient social, more inclusive labour and social agendas".

ILO’s SCORE Programme improves productivity and working conditions SMEs. The key intervention of the programme is SCORE Training, which combines practical classroom training with in-factory consulting. The Training demonstrates best international practices in the manufacturing and service sectors and helps SMEs to participate in global supply chains.

SCORE Training focuses on developing cooperative working relations resulting in shared benefits for enterprise owners and those who work there. The SCORE Training modules cover Workplace Cooperation, Quality Management, Clean Production, Human Resource Management, Occupational Safety and Health, Lean Manufacturing, Gender Equality, Responsible Business, Hospitality Coaching and Working Time. Training formats vary, modules usually include a one/two-day classroom training for managers and workers, followed by on-site consultations with industry experts that help to put the training into action in the workplace, some are self-paced online.

Through the SCORE programme, the ILO assists government agencies, training providers, industry associations and trade unions in emerging economies in Africa, Asia and Latin America to offer SCORE Training to enterprises. A global team based in ILO Country Offices and Headquarters, and financially supported by Switzerland and Norway manages the programme.