The Better Work Academy: Building the Bridges Between the Public and Private Sectors

Better Work, a partnership between the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), has proven that it is possible to simultaneously improving working conditions and boost competitiveness in the global apparel sector. As part of The Walt Disney International Labour Standards Supply Chain Investment Programme, Better Work is proposing to add a Public Sector Department to the Better Work Academy. To date, the Better Work Academy has taken a pioneering approach to develop and implement a global forum for learning among private sector actors to support behavioural and attitudinal change. The Academy aims to drive improvements across brands’ supply chains, not only in existing Better Work country programmes but also in other countries and industries. Through this project, Better Work will expand the Academy to include the public sector. Efforts to improve working conditions in global supply chains have largely been driven to date by the private sector, with little attention paid to involvement and long-term capacity development of the public sector. While private sector initiatives have had impact, the only way to drive long term sustainable change is by focusing on how to better equip national actors to oversee their own labour markets and by creating shared learning opportunities between brands and public sector actors. Better Work is uniquely placed to bring together the private and public sectors to fundamentally change the dynamics in the field of labour compliance, moving away from brands running parallel compliance systems and moving toward a model whereby the national actors are increasingly able to take on ownership for compliance in their countries.

Project symbol

GLO/17/14/DIS

Admin unit

BETTERWORK

Start date

17/08/2017

End date

30/06/2020

Total allocation

577709

Total expenditure

Status

Closed

577709

Development Partners

DISNEY WORLDWIDE SERVICES, INC.

Country/Countries

Global

Outcomes

Outcome 7: Adequate and effective protection at work for all