The Vision Zero Fund (VZF) project in Lao PDR aims to reduce the number of fatal and severe occupational accidents and diseases in the coffee and garment supply chains. In addition, it will support increased access to adequate compensation mechanisms to mitigate the losses suffered by victims and their families as a result of work-related accidents, injuries and diseases.
In pursuing its goals, the project will implement innovative intervention models that can effectively impact the number and nature of such accidents and diseases in the selected supply chains and support government, and workers’ and employers’ organizations, in strengthening their roles and responsibilities as OSH service providers. The project will support stakeholders in the coffee and garment sector in the formulation and implementation of strategies to eliminate or reduce occupational hazards at industry and workplace/farm household levels, help improve enforcement capacity and effective provision of OSH services and social security benefits. Furthermore, it will support the dissemination of lessons learned on OSH hazard and risk management and of good OSH practices to other supply chains in manufacturing and agriculture.
Improving the safety and health of coffee farmers in LAO PDR
The VZF project in Lao PDR consists of two phases. The first phase (June – November 2018) is dedicated to selecting, assessing and building intervention models in a participatory fashion in two global value chains. The second phase (December 2018 – May 2020) will be devoted to the implementation of the intervention models that were designed in partnership with relevant stakeholders during Phase I.
The VZF approach to occupational safety and health in global supply chains is illustrated below:
