The International Training Centre of the ILO certifies the mediators of the SIMA-FSP Foundation
A total of 18 mediators, coming from the organizations that signed the VI Agreement on Autonomous Resolution of Labour Conflicts (ASAC), have participated in the face-to-face training held in Madrid from March 10 to 13, 2025.
14 March 2025
The headquarters of the Interconfederal Service for Mediation and Arbitration Foundation (SIMA-FSP) hosted the in-person component of the training and certification process for the aforementioned mediators. This initiative is part of the joint commitment and shared interest of the ILO and SIMA-FSP, along with the organizations that signed the 6th Agreement on the Autonomous Resolution of Labour Conflicts (ASAC)—CCOO, UGT, CEOE, and CEPYME—to improve and certify the competencies of those involved in autonomous labour dispute resolution processes handled by SIMA-FSP.
The 6th ASAC, signed on November 26, 2020, acknowledges the importance of training as a central element to ensure the quality and effectiveness of bodies dedicated to autonomous or extrajudicial labour dispute resolution. To this end, the agreement commits to developing a training model that standardizes the necessary requirements to perform mediation functions in the labour sphere. In this context, the need for mediators to receive initial training and ongoing refresher programmes is emphasized.
Furthermore, SIMA-FSP considers it essential that labour mediators obtain certification issued by the International Labour Organization (ILO). This certification is carried out through the International Training Centre of the ILO (ITC-ILO) in Turin, ensuring international standards of quality and professionalism in labour mediation.
Through the collaboration between the ITC-ILO and SIMA-FSP in this certification activity, the mandate of ILO governing bodies is fulfilled—to strengthen institutions and mechanisms for the prevention and resolution of labour disputes and to enhance the capacity of tripartite constituents in this area.
The in-person component of the certification process for Spanish mediators was concluded by Félix Peinado, Director of the ILO Office for Spain, who emphasized the importance of this certification and noted that it contributes to effective and high-quality systems for the prevention and resolution of labour conflicts—systems that are the foundation of fair, strong, and equitable labour relations, social peace, a favourable environment for sustainable enterprises, and the dignity of work. Beatriz Losada, Director of the SIMA-FSP Foundation, also highlighted the close collaboration with the ILO, as SIMA-FSP recently carried out a self-assessment of the institution’s effectiveness using the diagnostic tool developed by the ILO. Both expressed their gratitude to the ITC-ILO for its collaboration, particularly to the experts who travelled from various countries to carry out the certification.
The SIMA-FSP Foundation is a joint organization whose main purpose is to manage the procedures regulated under the 6th ASAC, as well as to promote the prevention and resolution of labour conflicts that extend beyond a single autonomous community. It serves as a space for dialogue, negotiation, and the dissemination of a culture of negotiated conflict resolution. The SIMA-FSP Foundation is overseen by the Ministry of Labour and Social Economy, and its Board of Trustees includes the employers’ organizations CEOE and CEPYME, and the trade unions CCOO and UGT—all of which are signatories to the ASAC.