ILO empowers Egypt's business landscape

Cairo, Egypt (ILO news)- The Federation of Egyptian Industries (FEI), in collaboration with the "Social Dialogue for Formalization and Employability in the Southern Neighbourhood (SOLIFEM) project", co-funded by the European Union (EU) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), held a workshop in Cairo entitled “Mainstreaming Formalization through Sustainability Practices”.

This workshop is part of a broader effort to facilitate the transition of enterprises into Egypt’s formal economy. It focused on presenting the outcomes of the guidance note “leveraging sustainability pathways to accelerate formalization and the role of companies in mitigating informality”.

Participants included representatives from formal companies, with a focus on human resources managers, administrative managers, and procurement officers, alongside professionals from FEI and ILO experts. They engaged in discussion regarding the crucial role of the private sector in driving the transition to the formal economy.

The guidance note explores how private sector companies can play a pivotal role in this transition by: formalizing workers and improving working conditions within their enterprise, as well as transitioning informal economic units and their workers in their supply chains to the formal sector.
The guidance draws insights from a series of workshops held to raise awareness among formal sector enterprises, addressing the challenges associated with transitioning to the formal economy. It also highlights how enterprises can facilitate this transition through initiatives related to legal compliance and corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Speaking on behalf of Mr. Eric Oechslin, ILO Cairo Office Director, Ms. Riham Madbouli, National Coordinator of SOLIFEM Egypt said, "SOLIFEM project aims to support the transition to the formal economy in line with the ILO Recommendation No. 204. We collaborate with the FEI to enhance companies' knowledge of the risks associated with informal practices and the benefits of transitioning to the formal sector for companies, individuals, and society as a whole”.

The workshop featured insightful expert presentations and engaging discussions, providing participants with comprehensive strategies and innovative practices to embed sustainability principles into their business operations.

It concluded with the unveiling of the “Recognizing Sustainable Champions for Formalization Practices in Egypt” initiative. This initiative aims to inspire companies to incorporate formalization and sustainability as integral components of their core operations, fostering a more sustainable and formal business environment in Egypt.