Workplace compliance culture is strengthening in Türkiye’s metal sector
ILO’s Strategic Compliance Model promotes a more preventive approach in labour inspection.
12 May 2025
ANKARA (ILO News) – As part of the “Workplace Compliance through Labour Inspection, Guidance, and Social Dialogue” project, funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s Directorate of Guidance and Inspection (DoGI), guidance meetings were successfully completed in eight provinces where the Strategic Compliance Model of the ILO was applied to the metal sector.
Held in April in Ankara, Adana, İstanbul, Bursa, İzmir, Konya, Kocaeli, and Sakarya, the meetings were hosted by local Chambers of Commerce and Industry and brought together over 350 participants. These included employer representatives, occupational health and safety professionals, human resources experts, as well as trade union and professional association members. The meetings facilitated mutual knowledge exchange between labour inspectors and field actors.
Strategic Compliance Model and preventive approach
The guidance meetings were held in line with the ILO’s Strategic Compliance Model. This model consists of four stages: identifying root causes of non-compliance at the workplace, consulting with stakeholders, raising awareness through guidance meetings, and developing risk-based inspection strategies.
Burcu Akça Hacıosmanoğlu, Senior Project Coordinator at the ILO Office in Türkiye, stated: "Through the ILO Strategic Compliance Model, we aim to strengthen the preventive inspection approach adopted by the Directorate of Guidance and Inspection for many years, by using a multi-stakeholder method and strategic communication tools. This enables us to detect and resolve issues before they escalate, fostering human-centred work environments and contributing to sustainable business models."
Why the metal sector?
Several strategic reasons led to the selection of the metal sector for the pilot implementation of the Strategic Compliance Model. Gaps in decent work conditions in the sector’s sub-supply chains, and the high levels of physical and chemical risks made the metal industry a priority. Additionally, the strong presence of social partners in the sector boosts the impact of communication efforts.
The sector’s institutional culture and leadership approach support the success of the guidance process. The widespread main company–supplier structure enables rapid dissemination of strategic compliance across sub-suppliers. Furthermore, the regional clustering structure of the sector facilitates the focused implementation of guidance and inspection activities at the local level.
Awareness raising session and participant feedback
During the meetings, occupational health and safety risks and common non-compliance issues specific to the metal sector were addressed, along with the necessary preventive measures. Labour inspectors informed participants using a risk-based approach, and practical demonstrations were conducted on the use of personal protective equipment.
The Q&A sessions held at the end of each meeting provided an important platform for participants to share their experiences and offer suggestions. SMEs in particular expressed the need for more widespread guidance activities and awareness-raising efforts.
Promoting a preventive culture
The meetings also served as part of a broader communication campaign. Supported by handbooks and social media content, the campaign aims to increase public awareness of rights and responsibilities.
In the coming period, the project plans to strengthen preventive inspection strategies based on the findings from this pilot initiative in the metal sector.