Factories and manufacturer enterprises are key partners in Better Work Jordan’s efforts to create better conditions for garment workers in a way that also boosts business performance. Better Work Jordan believes that effective cooperation and mutual trust between employers and their workers not only leads to better working conditions, but also better results for business.
Better Work Jordan
Established in 2008 as a partnership programme of the ILO and the IFC, Better Work Jordan brings diverse groups together - employers, factory owners, trade unions, global brands and governments - to improve working conditions and enhance business competitiveness in the global garment industry.
It strives for an export-oriented Jordanian garment industry that lifts people out of poverty by providing decent work, empowering women and driving business competitiveness and inclusive economic growth.
Better Work Jordan works to strengthen the capacity of tripartite constituents – government, workers and employers – to fulfill their mandates in promoting decent work outcomes. As a first for Better Work, Better Work Jordan tested successfully an innovative labour inspection secondment programme to build the capacity of labour inspectors to conduct high quality inspections. In recent years, the programme has also worked with other technical teams within the ILO, including experts on occupational safety and health (OSH), to equip Ministry of Labor (MoL) inspectors with the tools, skills and knowledge to undertake factory assessments using Better Work methodology. This initiative resulted in the establishment of a dedicated Better Work Unit at the MoL tasked with conducting inspections in the garment, plastic, chemical and engineering sectors jointly with Better Work Jordan staff.
Our partners in Jordan
Better Work Jordan works closely with our parent organizations – the International Labour Organization and the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group – and different stakeholders on a national level. Our Project Advisory Committee (PAC) gathers different national stakeholders to find solutions and bring improvements the garment industry. The PAC provides strategic advice on the directions of the programme, reviews progress on implementation, and serves as a platform for engagement among stakeholders on key industry issues through biannual meetings. This committee is comprised of representatives from the government of Jordan, of employers’ associations and of the trade unions.
Representatives of the government
- Haitham Al Najdawi, Ministry of Labour, Head of Inspection Department
- Eng. Najah Abu Tafesh, Ministry of Labour, Head of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Department
- Amal Al-Abdallat. – Ministry of Labour delegate in Jordan Investment Commission.
- Hassan Al-Nsour, Head of Business Environmental Development of QIZ, Ministry of Industry and Trade
Representatives of employers
- Farhan Ifram: MAS ACTIVE AL SAFI General Director, Chairperson of Jordan Garment Accessories & Textiles Exporters Association(JGATE)
- Dina Khayyat, Jordan Garment Accessories & Textiles Exporters Association: Vice Chairman of the Board
- Oryana Awaisheh, Garment Accessories & Textiles Exporters Association Board Member
- Hussam Saleh: Jordan Garment Accessories & Textiles Exporters Association: Chairman of the Board
- Hassib Salameh (alternate): Jordan Chamber of Industry: Coordinator of the industrial development unit
- Ihab Qadri, Representatives of the Leath and Garment sector at the Jordan Chamber of Industry
Representatives of trade unions
- Fathallah Al-Omrani: The General Trade Union of Workers in Textile, Garment and Clothing Industries: President
- Ahlam Al-Terawi: The General Trade Union of Workers in Textile, Garment and Clothing Industries: Coordinator
- Jamila Lafi: The General Trade Union of Workers in Textile, Garment and Clothing Industries: Member
- Nayfeh Sulaiman : The General Trade Union of Workers in Textile, Garment and Clothing Industries: Member
Observers
- Carina Klein: US embassy, Economic Officer
- Lina Bazyan: US embassy, Economic Analyst
- Abeer Shalan: IFC Project Manager
Key Better Work partners in improving working conditions in the garment industry and boost the competitiveness of the sector are:
Government
Since the inception of Better Work Jordan in 2008 at the request of the Jordanian government, Better Work Jordan has worked closely with the Government of Jordan (GoJ) to promote decent living and working conditions inside garment and non-garment factories.
As part of efforts to bolster collaboration between Better Work Jordan and the Jordanian Ministry of Labour, a secondment programme commenced in August 2018 to build the capacity of labour inspectors through in-class and field training. The secondment programme operates in addition to the delivery of training workshops and sessions to labour inspectors, topics include Better Work services model, dorms’ inspection, sexual harassment prevention.
Better Work Jordan signed an agreement with the Social Security Corporate through a short secondment programme to support the Programme’s initiatives on OSH. the secondment programme is currently in its second round.
Workers & Unions
Better Work Jordan works with unions and directly with workers to help realize their rights on the factory floor and find ways to boost their skills so that they can engage in productive discussions and negotiate with employers. Efforts to strengthen social dialogue at both sectoral and factory levels, for example, has culminated in the signing of a new sector-wide collective bargaining agreement between two apparel employers’ associations and the General Trade Union of Workers in Textile, Garment and Clothing Industries in December 2019.
Better Work Jordan signed a Memorandum of understanding with The General Trade Union of Workers in Textile, Garment and Clothing Industries in 2018. This agreement aims to further propagate Better Work’s mission to improve working conditions, protect workers’ rights and boost the competitiveness of the industry.
Factories and manufacturers
Brands and retailers
Our brands, retailers and intermediaries are industry leaders in the way they reimagine the global supply chain, where workers’ rights are fully respected and businesses gain a competitive advantage to grow.
Brands and retailers who are Better Work Jordan partners commit to coordinate efforts to maximize impact, for example by reducing duplicate audits and supporting improvement efforts of suppliers in a manner that is complementary and reinforces Better Work Jordan’s assistance to factories. In addition to having access to Better Work Jordan assessment reports, our partners have regular interactions with Better Work Jordan and the global Better Work programme to discuss industry developments and factory-level issues.
Learn more about benefits for registered brands, retailers and intermediaries
The following brands sourcing from Jordanian factories are Better Work Jordan partners
Development partners
Our work is funded through a combination of private sector fees for our services and grants from donors. We work closely with development partners to understand specific interests and goals and help to advance these goals through Better Work’s efforts. Development partners are actively engaged in our programme and are key partners in the development of strategies to improve garment sector supply chains.
