National Social Dialogue Institutions (NSDI) Database

What are national social dialogue institutions (NSDIs)?

National Social Dialogue Institutions (NSDIs) bring together governments, workers’ and employers’ organizations, and, in some cases, other stakeholders to discuss and shape social and economic policies.

They differ greatly across countries.

What this database is

The ILO NSDI Database consists of two complementary resources:

• a quantitative database, presenting statistical information on the characteristics of national social dialogue institutions (NSDIs) in some 160 countries and allowing users to perform a range of analytical and visualization functions;
• a qualitative database, providing detailed information on the functioning, mandates, structures and outcomes of NSDIs.

The quantitative database enables users to:

• Visualize country-specific information within a region or across the globe using up to ten criteria – such as the type of institution, date of creation, composition, frequency of meetings or other defining features.
• Calculate statistical summaries for each criterion at regional or global level.
• Generate diagrams and charts illustrating the selected criteria regionally or globally.
• Produce world maps that visualize how specific criteria appear across countries – for example, showing which Member States have particular types of social dialogue institutions.
• Access comparative information on key ILO conventions relating to social dialogue (Nos. 87, 98, 144, 135, 151 and 154), linking institutional characteristics with ratification status.

You can download the quantitative database below.

As part of the progressive expansion of the initiative, the ILO is also developing regional qualitative databases. Two qualitative databases are now available below, covering Europe and Central Asia and the Arab States. Additional regional qualitative databases will be published progressively as information is collected, verified and consolidated.

The qualitative databases contain information on the legal basis, composition, mandates, governance arrangements, decision-making processes, consultation practices and operational functioning of NSDIs, providing users with a more in-depth understanding of how these institutions operate in practice.

For a better user experience, we recommend pressing CTRL+SHIFT+F1 to launch Excel presentation mode, ensuring an application-level experience.

Why we have developed this database

To foster knowledge sharing on national frameworks for social dialogue, the ILO has launched an initiative to collect qualitative and quantitative data on existing NSDIs across the globe.

Through this initiative, the ILO aims to:

• build a clearer global picture of how NSDIs are structured and how they function in practice;
• make information on NSDIs more precise, accessible and useful for all those interested in social dialogue – including policymakers, social partners, researchers and practitioners.

Disclaimer and call for contributions

The current versions of the NSDI databases rely largely on publicly available sources and desk research conducted by ILO officials, complemented by contributions from field offices, Decent Work Country Teams and national stakeholders.

Consequently, the data may contain inaccuracies and should be interpreted with caution, as it might not reflect the most recent legal or institutional developments in a given country.

We therefore invite our partners and stakeholders to help us improve these resources. If you identify an inaccuracy or wish to propose comments, corrections or updates, please:

• Download the questionnaire in one of the three ILO official languages available below;
• Complete the form (including your contact details, place of work and source(s) of information);
• Send it to [email protected].

All submissions will be reviewed, and verified updates will be reflected in subsequent releases of the databases. Updated versions of the quantitative database will continue to be published every two months, while additional qualitative regional databases will be released progressively as information is collected and validated.

The next update of the qualitative database is scheduled for the end of August 2026.