Furthermore, in 2022, a safe and healthy working environment was recognised by the ILO as one of the fundamental principles and rights at work.
In the context of these recent changes, the programme is set to further strengthen its approach to OSH, scaling up its factory engagement over the next five years, putting an enhanced targeted focus on the underlying causes of persistent and structural compliance failings.
During the pandemic, Better Work and its partners reached around 4.3 million workers as well as their families and community members by using both traditional and innovative ways to create awareness of COVID-19 transmission and prevention. We supported over 2,600 factories to raise awareness about creating safe workplaces. This support included sessions on how to comply with OSH guidelines issued by national governments and ways to conduct risk assessments and develop preparedness plans.
Also, the programme and its partners provided personal protective equipment kits and masks to over 50,000 service providers and garment workers in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Madagascar.
In Cambodia, Better Work developed a human-focused theme dubbed “Su Su” (Do not give up). The campaign’s concept and outreach strategy were developed based on first-hand data on the mental health support needs and social-media usage patterns of garment factory workers. Within 3 months, the campaign reached over 2 million people.
Better Work will deepen its focus on OSH management systems and behavioural change. This includes targeted actions to boost dorm safety where migrant workers reside, road safety during the workers’ commutes and the eradication of violence and harassment from the factory floor in line with the OSH Code of Practice for Textiles, Clothing, Leather and Footwear and ILO Convention No. 190.
To identify pragmatic and robust solutions to persistent non-compliance areas, embedded in management systems and change management processes. Working with key ILO units, Better Work will contribute to an OSH toolkit to support implementation of the ILO OSH Code of Practice. The interventions will be designed to help build capacity within the sector to apply the Code and address key risks including the ever-mounting OSH risks of chemicals and waste management as well as violence and harassment in the context of OSH.
By supporting other ILO units to strengthen national ministries of labour, departments of OSH or other institutions through broadly sharing Better Work data, experience and expertise towards capacity building, policy reform and the implementation of national OSH action plans.
To understand root-causes of OSH non-compliance and lever the expertise and partnerships with brands, ILO and other experts to address these issues collectively and holistically. Better Work will work closely with the dedicated ILO units over the next five years to engage in initiatives, including with the private sector, to capture and build more robust OSH better data, including through new technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT)
Better Work five-year strategy (2022-27) embraces innovation around a set of strategic priorities to adapt to the needs of the garment and footwear industry around the world.