Multi-party effort spurs companies’ social responsibility

The project, which is going to be carried out by the two organisations in conjuction with the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, and various business associations, with the support of the International Labour Organisation and the funding of the Japanese government, is going to run from 2015 to 2017 and aims to encourage multinational enterprises (MNEs), with a special focus on the electronics sector, to make positive contributions to the country’s economic and social development by implementing socially responsible labour practices.

“ILO supports tripartite dialogues in order to make concrete plans and identify the responsibility of employers, MNEs, employees, and the government of the country where the MNE operates,” said Yukiko Arai, ILO’s senior specialist.

According to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam, since 2012, the electronics sector has consistently been Vietnam’s one of largest exporters. In 2014, the export turnover of telephones and spare parts was $24.1 billion, accounting for 25.6 per cent of the country’s total export turnover, excluding crude oil.

The sector employs approximately 250,000 workers in 500 companies. As with the number one exporter garment sector, the majority of workers are female and a high proportion is estimated to be made up of domestic migrant workers.

ILO has been working with many Vietnamese governmental agencies in labour market management and labour relation management. The organisation has been helping Vietnamese governmental agencies in the drafting and enforcing of labour laws and regulations, increasing the capacity of labour management agencies as well as building and strengthening labour relations.