ILO hosts workshop on “Responsible Business Conduct and Decent Work”

ISTANBUL (ILO News) – The International Labour Organization (ILO) held its third workshop on "Promoting Decent Work" in İstanbul, bringing together labour inspectors from the Directorate General of Guidance and Inspection of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security of Türkiye, relevant Ministry units, and social partners to discuss the importance and impact of responsible business conduct in combating forced labour and human rights abuses.

Funded under the European Union (EU) Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA-III) and organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the Directorate General of Guidance and Inspection (DoGI), and the ILO, this third workshop in the "Promoting Decent Work" series took place in İstanbul.

Following previous workshops in İzmir on June 3-4, 2024, focused on "Enhancing Safety Culture in Workplaces" and "Promoting Decent Work Environments in Non-Standard Forms of Employment ," respectively, the İstanbul event centred on "Responsible Business Conduct and Decent Work." It was attended by 50 participants, including DoGI labour inspectors, ministry officials, social partners, private sector representatives, and expert academics.

The workshop emphasized the significance of responsible business conduct and decent work, particularly regarding forced labour standards, the ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, and new regulatory frameworks like the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and the German Supply Chain Act. These frameworks' importance and impact on protecting human rights and combating forced labour in businesses and supply chains were key discussion points.

In the first session, ILO Türkiye Director Yasser Hassan and DoGI President Bekir Aktürk delivered opening remarks. Professors Gaye Burcu Yıldız and Gürkan Emre Gürcanlı presented draft research results focusing on the significant gaps in decent work in Türkiye. Subsequent sessions included a presentation by Dr. Ulaş Baysal on the impact of the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and the German Supply Chain Act on business practices. Dr. Kezban Yağcı Sokat from San Jose State University discussed global examples of combating human trafficking and forced labour in supply chains.

The afternoon session featured a panel on "Promoting Responsible Business Conduct and Decent Work," moderated by DoGI Deputy Chairman Gökhan Ateş. Panelists included:

• Labour Expert Evrin Dağkaldıran Demiralp from the Directorate General of Labour, who discussed Alliance 8.7’s goals for safe and healthy work environments considering human rights, including Türkiye’s roadmap and activities as a pathfinder country.
• Özlem Ünlüer, Sustainability Director at Beko, who shared best practices in responsible business conduct within their operations and supply chains, providing concrete examples of the new developments' impact at the workplace level.
• RTB Labour Inspector Özkan Yaşar, who highlighted the role of labour inspection in combating human trafficking for forced labour purposes and updated on the process of Türkiye ratifying the 2014 Protocol to the Forced Labour Convention of 1930 (P029).

With this workshop in İstanbul, the series on "Promoting Decent Work" covering three thematic issues concluded. 

The workshops aim to share draft research results on addressing issues in ensuring decent working environments within Türkiye's national labour legislation and international labour standards. By incorporating stakeholders' views and contributions, the series aims to strengthen the research outcomes and develop concrete policy recommendations to elevate Türkiye’s working conditions to international standards, enhancing dialogue between the business community and social partners.