Sustainable supply chains to build forward better

The "Sustainable Supply Chains to Build Forward Better" project (SSCBFB) is a joint intervention co-funded by the European Commission (EC) and the International

Labour Organization (ILO) which aims to promote decent work in global supply chains of key importance to the European Union. This includes the development of knowledge, tools, guidance, policy advice, technical assistance and training to address decent work challenges and opportunities in five selected supply chains and countries:

 

Background

The effects of the crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to affect the global economy for years to come. In addition to containing the virus and saving lives, governments, employers and their associations, workers and their organizations and enterprises of all sizes in all countries are focusing on weathering the crisis and ensuring minimal job losses and business and industry survival. 

They are calling for decent and sustainable work to be part of the response to the pandemic. The need for fairer, more resilient and sustainable global supply chains is part of national, regional and global discussions on how the world of work can build back better.

With the support of the European Commission, the ILO will engage with its tripartite constituents and key stakeholders in seizing this moment to assert the importance of decent work to fairer, more resilient and sustainable global supply chains and the social and economic recovery from the crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
 

Objectives

1. To promote decent work in global supply chains as key to the social and economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis – building forward better;
2. To engage stakeholders and promote social dialogue all along the supply chains to keep decent work at the forefront and explore possibilities for a “new normal” during and after COVID-19 recovery – stakeholder engagement;
3. To support governments, employers, workers and other stakeholders' actions to make decent work a defining framework of the post-COVID era – stakeholders' actions.

Outcomes

The Action comprises three inter-related modules:

• Module 1: Research and analysis on selected global supply chains and the impact of COVID-19
  Outcome 1: Enhanced knowledge and understanding of the decent work deficits and opportunities of the selected supply chains among policy makers, social partners and other stakeholders facilitates the development of evidence-based and gender-sensitive policies and measures;
• Module 2: Production of tools and guidance to enhance knowledge and capacity
  Outcome 2: Tripartite constituents and stakeholders are better equipped to advance decent work in fairer, more resilient and sustainable supply chains;
• Module 3: Support to national, sectoral, regional and global constituents and stakeholders along the five supply chains in taking steps to advance decent work as part of their response to the COVID-19 crisis
  Outcome 3: Tripartite constituents and stakeholders further develop and implement policies and measures to build back better fairer, more resilient and sustainable global supply chains.

The Sustainable Supply Chains to Build Forward Better (SSCBFB) project was launched in November 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 crisis. In order to consolidate the successes of the SSCBFB project and provide additional technical assistance and policy advice to constituents and stakeholders in three selected supply chains to address decent work challenges and opportunities the Supply Chains for a Sustainable Future of Work (SCSFW) project was launched as a second phase that builds on the good practices and lessons learned during the first implementation.