The United Nations Global Compact has launched a new toolkit to help procurement teams improve working conditions for millions of people working in global supply chains.
The “Decent Work Toolkit for Sustainable Procurement” is an online resource designed to help procurement teams improve terms and conditions for millions of workers and drive sustainability.
The term ‘decent work’ covers a wide range of labor related rights including equal opportunities, fair wages, health and safety and social protection for workers and their families. It also assures workers of the freedom to organize and participate in decisions affecting their lives.
“Business can achieve many SDG targets by respecting workers’ rights and positively contributing to decent work conditions. This toolkit will help business to improve its understanding on how sourcing practices impact working conditions and what companies can do better to ensure decent work and protect human and labor rights for all,” said Lise Kingo, CEO & Executive Director of the UN Global Compact.
This resource focuses on strengthening long-term relationships between buyers and suppliers to improve working conditions in supply chains. It also contains practical examples of where buyers and suppliers have jointly addressed decent work concerns.
This Toolkit has been developed by the United Nations Global Compact Decent Work in Global Supply Chains Action Platform, consisting of member companies and UN partners (ILO and UNICEF). The Action Platform is supported by SAP Ariba, the Government of Sweden and the UK Department of International Development. It builds an alliance of companies committed to respecting human rights and labor rights by leveraging their supply chains and taking collective action to address decent work deficits.
