Better Work

Viet Nam

In operation since July 2009, Better Work Viet Nam aims to improve the working conditions and competitiveness of Viet Nam's garment and footwear industry by promoting labour standards and competitiveness at the workplace through training services and seminars, as well as advisory and compliance assessments.

Operating Since

2009

Brands and Retailers

62

Factories

492

Workers

754,618

The average firm enrolled in Better Work Viet Nam for four years increases its revenue-to cost ratio by around 25 per cent.

Firms that have participated in Better Work Viet Nam for at least four years have closed the gender pay gap by 85 per cent.

Through training and capacity building, women workers have gained requisite technical knowledge and skills to qualify for and be promoted to more senior managerial positions in Viet Nam.

Better Work Viet Nam

In operation since July 2009, Better Work Viet Nam aims to improve the working conditions and competitiveness of Viet Nam's garment and footwear industry.

In operation since July 2009, Better Work Viet Nam aims to improve the working conditions and competitiveness of Viet Nam’s garment and footwear industry. Around 400 factories across the country actively participate in the programme with nearly 700,000 employees, of whom 78 per cent are women. The programme promotes labour standards and competitiveness at the workplace through training services and seminars as well as advisory and compliance assessments.

At the national level, Better Work Viet Nam collaborates with central tripartite partners, including the Ministry of Labour, the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour. Together, Better Work Viet Nam and the tripartite partners work to promote labour law reforms that align Viet Nam with international labour standards and ILO Conventions. Such partnership is necessary for Viet Nam to fully participate in global supply chains in line with the terms of its existing free trade agreements. Better Work Viet Nam’s role includes connecting global brands and retailers with social partners. This integrated approach ensures continuous improvement of working conditions.

MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
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Strategic Goals

Better Work Viet Nam's 2023-2027 strategic phase will work to achieve the following outcomes:

By 2027, a joint and inclusive roadmap for a scalable approach to high and sustained compliance and social dialogue agreed to by, and jointly implemented with, programme partners.

By 2027, employers and workers and their representatives in the Better Work programme uphold and are protected by national labour laws and fundamental principles and rights at work; enterprises in the sector that have emerged from the COVID-19 crisis are more sustainable, resilient and inclusive.

By 2027, Better Work’s impact on workers, businesses and compliance is sustained by national institutions that leverage the programme’s approaches, data and evidence.

By 2027, enterprises that participate in Better Work have adopted policies and practices on responsible business conduct that support the realization of decent work. 

By 2027, Better Work’s knowledge and methods have created positive social and environmental impacts beyond the programme as they are adopted in other countries and sectors.

Latest news

Featured 29 Jan 2024

Empowering Change: Better Work Viet Nam takes on sexual harassment and gender-based violence through targeted initiatives

Sexual harassment and gender-based violence (GBV) are pressing issues in the worldwide garment industry, which were likely further exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic as individuals grappled with heightened economic and social difficulties.

Priority themes in Viet Nam

Better Work Viet Nam's work focuses on six of these cross-cutting themes, which are essential to achieving our strategic outcomes and will be present in our factory engagement, research, policy influencing and content produced as well as affect how we allocate our human and financial resources:

Productivity and Business Performance

Productivity and Business Performance

Better Work Viet Nam will collaborate with MoIT and other institutes to design and scale interventions that advance productivity for enterprises. The programme will explore partnerships with Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges to provide Training for Trainers (ToT) so that trainers and teachers can provide technical and soft skills training to workers and factories in the future.

Data and Evidence

Data and Evidence

In the context of the government’s priority on the Industrial Revolution 4.0 and the application of digital platforms by the national constituents and industry partners, the programme will optimise the use of digital technologies in communications and the delivery of services.

Environmental

Environmental Sustainability

Building on the success of the environmental pilot conducted by the IFC, Better Work Viet Nam will provide training on environmental law requirements for participating factories.​ ​The programme will work closely with specialized ILO departments, the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and other climate change related ILO projects to promote a just transition agenda in the garment sector.

Gender Equality and Inclusion

Gender Equality and Inclusion

The programme will focus on issues of inclusion, women’s empowerment and sexual harassment prevention. The programme will also join forces with other women organizations to address the gender pay gap. The correlation between productivity and gender equality will be explored and promoted further.

Occupational Safety and Health

Occupational Safety and Health

In collaboration with ILO technical departments, Better Work Viet Nam will increasingly engage tripartite partners in the OSH initiatives/interventions so that they can assume responsibility for promoting and monitoring OSH compliance and improvements. The programme will work with national constituents, including the MoH, to boost industrial and factory capacity using risk-based assessments and preventive methods.

Social Dialogue

Social Dialogue

Social dialogue will continue to be at the center of the industrial relations process, ensuring democratic and robust labour management relations at the workplace. The programme will work closely with the Country Office and various ILO technical departments and projects to advocate and support proactive use of the new industrial relations process created by the 2019 Labour Code.

Our Partners

We bring all levels of the garment industry together to improve working conditions and drive sustainability.
Governments

Governments

Ministry of Labour (MOLISA) Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT)
Factories and manufacturers

Employers

Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry Viet Nam (VCCI) Viet Nam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS)
Workers

Workers & Unions

Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour Provincial Federation of Labour
Brands and retailers

Brands and Retailers

45 brands

Our Development Partners

from the people of Japan (1)

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