Improving occupational safety and health in global supply chains with the Vision Zero Fund
DG INTPA and the ILO Vision Zero Fund (VZF) held an INFOPOINT virtual conference on “Improving occupational safety and health in global supply chains with the Vision Zero Fund” on 8 September 2021.
9 September 2021
DG INTPA and the ILO Vision Zero Fund (VZF) held an INFOPOINT virtual conference on “Improving occupational safety and health in global supply chains with the Vision Zero Fund” on 8 September 2021.
The conference was opened by Cécile Billaux, Head of Unit, INTPA Private sector, Trade, Employment and the VZF Global Programme Manager Ockert Dupper. Marianna Infante and Rodrigo Mongrovejo both Chief Technical advisor of the VZF in Myanmar and Mexico respectively were invited as guest speakers. The conference was an opportunity for the VZF to showcase achievements, highlight challenges, and detail future plans.
In her opening remarks, Cécile Billaux, underlined the importance of the VZF initiative and the need for collective action to reduce workplace hazards in global supply chains.
The VZF Global Programme Manager started his presentation by introducing the work of VZF. “Vision Zero Fund mobilizes governments, employers, workers and other stakeholders to take collective action to make real, measurable improvements in worker health and safety where these are most needed” he said. “In just five years, the Fund has helped to improve the health and safety of more than 5.6 million workers around the world”.
The VZF is currently operational in eight countries on three continents and in three sectors: garment/textiles, agriculture and construction, with the intention of possibly expanding into additional high-risk sectors. Ockert Dupper also highlighted some of the achievements of the VZF over the past years. These include the adoption and refinement of a unique set of tools to assess of the main drivers and constraints for safety and health improvement in supply chains, and the development and publication of a number of key knowledge products, including reports, briefs and toolkits. Providing an update on the developments in VZF country operations was a particular focus of the meeting. The VZF country project managers from Myanmar and Mexico presented achievements, challenges and future plans of their respective country projects. In Myanmar, significant progress has already been made in the efforts to improve Occupational Safety and Health in the ginger and garment supply chains, while in Mexico implementation of activities in the coffee value chains are advancing gender equality and empowering women.
Both speakers highlighted one of the unique aspects of the VZF approach, namely the active involvement of stakeholders in the selection of supply chains, the design of interventions, and in the implementation of activities. This facilitates local ownership and collective action, and ensures the sustainability of interventions.
The presentations were followed by a brief round of questions and answers and the participants’ expressed support for the work of the VZF.
DG-INTPA has supported the Fund since its inception in 2016. It has enabled the Fund to evolve into a truly global initiative that is able to target sectors and regions where the need is great and where it can make the biggest difference.
Learn more about the Fund here.
The conference was opened by Cécile Billaux, Head of Unit, INTPA Private sector, Trade, Employment and the VZF Global Programme Manager Ockert Dupper. Marianna Infante and Rodrigo Mongrovejo both Chief Technical advisor of the VZF in Myanmar and Mexico respectively were invited as guest speakers. The conference was an opportunity for the VZF to showcase achievements, highlight challenges, and detail future plans.
In her opening remarks, Cécile Billaux, underlined the importance of the VZF initiative and the need for collective action to reduce workplace hazards in global supply chains.
The VZF Global Programme Manager started his presentation by introducing the work of VZF. “Vision Zero Fund mobilizes governments, employers, workers and other stakeholders to take collective action to make real, measurable improvements in worker health and safety where these are most needed” he said. “In just five years, the Fund has helped to improve the health and safety of more than 5.6 million workers around the world”.
The VZF is currently operational in eight countries on three continents and in three sectors: garment/textiles, agriculture and construction, with the intention of possibly expanding into additional high-risk sectors. Ockert Dupper also highlighted some of the achievements of the VZF over the past years. These include the adoption and refinement of a unique set of tools to assess of the main drivers and constraints for safety and health improvement in supply chains, and the development and publication of a number of key knowledge products, including reports, briefs and toolkits. Providing an update on the developments in VZF country operations was a particular focus of the meeting. The VZF country project managers from Myanmar and Mexico presented achievements, challenges and future plans of their respective country projects. In Myanmar, significant progress has already been made in the efforts to improve Occupational Safety and Health in the ginger and garment supply chains, while in Mexico implementation of activities in the coffee value chains are advancing gender equality and empowering women.
Both speakers highlighted one of the unique aspects of the VZF approach, namely the active involvement of stakeholders in the selection of supply chains, the design of interventions, and in the implementation of activities. This facilitates local ownership and collective action, and ensures the sustainability of interventions.
The presentations were followed by a brief round of questions and answers and the participants’ expressed support for the work of the VZF.
DG-INTPA has supported the Fund since its inception in 2016. It has enabled the Fund to evolve into a truly global initiative that is able to target sectors and regions where the need is great and where it can make the biggest difference.
Learn more about the Fund here.