The Supply Chains for a Sustainable Future of Work project is a joint initiative co-funded by the International Labour Organization and the European Union to advance decent work by providing technical support to strengthen the capacities of ILO constituents and other actors in three countries and along three supply chains.

This includes the development of new knowledge, tools, guidance, policy advice, technical assistance and training that addresses the identified decent work challenges and opportunities in:

	Coffee production in Colombia
	Rubber glove manufacturing in Malaysia
	Fisheries in Namibia

Project background

In January2021, the ILO and the European Union launched the Sustainable Supply Chains to Build Forward Better project to promote decent work in five supply chains and respond to the need for more resilient, inclusive and sustainable supply chains.

In this follow-up to that project, the ILO–European Union partnership is launching the Supply Chains for a Sustainable Future of Work project to consolidate the previous successes and provide additional technical assistance and policy advice to constituents and actors in three supply chains.

Project objectives

Over 12 months and with a budget of €700,000, the Supply Chains for a Sustainable Future of Work project is promoting decent work in three countries – Colombia, Malaysia and Namibia – with an important presence in the European Union market. This supply chain approach has proven to be an effective entry point for advancing full and productive employment and decent work.

The new project provides:

• Technical support through tools development and initiatives to strengthen the capacities of constituents and other actors in the targeted sectors.
• Assistance to improve compliance with national laws and regulations and to respect the principles contained in the international labour standards.
• Support to tripartite social dialogue processes and platforms to develop and implement policies and measures that promote decent work and more resilient, inclusive and sustainable supply chains.
• Constituents and enterprises in the three targeted supply chains with an improved understanding of the decent work challenges and opportunities and ILO guidance for achieving decent work for all.

Project outcomes

1. Tripartite constituents and stakeholders have further advanced decent work in a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable coffee and cocoa supply chain in Colombia that is of importance to the European Union market.
2. Tripartite constituents and stakeholders have further developed and implemented policies and measures to advance decent work in a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable rubber glove supply chain in Malaysia that is of importance to the European Union market.
3. Tripartite constituents and stakeholders have further developed and implemented policies and measures to advance decent work in a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable fisheries supply chain in Namibia that is of importance to the European Union market.
4. Tripartite constituents and enterprises active in the European Union market have a better understanding of decent work challenges and opportunities in the three targeted supply chains for enhancing due diligence.

The ILO Sectoral Policies Department is implementing the Supply Chains for a Sustainable Future of Work project in accordance with the One-ILO approach, benefiting from technical assistance of other departments and technical units, including ILO country and regional offices and Decent Work Teams and the European Union’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion and its Delegations in each country.