Regional forum promotes dialogue on trade, responsible business conduct, and decent work in Latin America

SANTIAGO, CHILE (ILO News) – Representatives from Latin American governments, business and labour organizations, academia, multilateral organizations, and civil society gathered in Santiago, Chile, from 29 to 30October 2024, to participate in the Regional Forum on Trade, Responsible Business Conduct, and Decent Work. This event was a joint initiative by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

At the Forum, participants shared insights on how trade can foster decent work. Key topics included exploring the link between trade and labour rights, the relationship between trade and productivity as a driver for formalization, and the importance of a just transition that enables trade to contribute to sustainable growth. Practical cases of implementing responsible business conduct practices in supply chains at the national, regional, and global levels were also presented.

The Forum featured over 20 speakers and panellists who shared research on the complex relationship between trade and productivity, the importance of fostering a conducive environment for positive impact, and the need to incorporate sustainability chapters in free trade agreements. The approach of using supply chains as a key tool to promote decent work was also discussed.

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During the opening session, Fabio Bertranou, Director of the ILO Office for the Southern Cone of Latin America, emphasized that “trade, investment, and supply chains—topics chosen for this Forum—are drivers of development, job creation, and economic growth. For inclusive and sustainable growth to be achieved, it is essential that the jobs created are of high quality, with adequate protection of labour rights and working conditions.”

Javier Medina, Deputy Executive Secretary of ECLAC, highlighted, “We are facing what ECLAC has termed the triple development trap: low growth, high levels of inequality, and low levels of governance and institutional capacity. These three aspects are closely interrelated, and in response, we propose an action enabled by this space—social dialogue with the participation of all actors in the productive system.”

The Regional Forum was held within the framework of the Responsible Business Conduct in Latin America and the Caribbean (CERALC) project, implemented by the ILO, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), with funding from the European Union. This event also marked the launch of phase II of the CERALC project, focusing on promoting sustainability in the mining and agriculture sectors.

At the Forum's closing, representatives of governments, employer organizations, and worker organizations valued spaces like this, which facilitate the exchange of best practices, peer learning, review of recent research, and exploration of new approaches to foster decent work in supply chains.