Market systems development for Decent Work: the Lab - Phase II

The LAB is A global initiative of the International Labour Organization (ILO) that tests, scales and shares strategies to maximize the impact of market systems development interventions on Decent Work. By understanding the market incentives to improve working conditions for women and men in advanced developing countries, the LAB identifies innovative ‘win-win’ solutions that lead to growth and improved competitiveness at the same time as boosting job quality for vulnerable populations. Bridging the worlds of research and practice, the goal is to learn through impact measurement and to take actions that catalyse better jobs and sustainably. The LAB’s bottom line is to deliver more and better jobs through improved market systems. This second phase of the LAB has a particular focus on value chains such as agri-business export commodities, tourism, manufacturing and construction that that have a high waged labour potential, but still face considerable poverty and development problems. The LAB is also focused on mainstreaming knowledge into both the ILO and SECO such that both organisations will continue to develop and implement sound, sustainable and scalable programmes, which addressing market incentives to tackle decent work challenges, without continued support from the LAB. The LAB’s four product lines and results areas available to support SECO-funded activities, both inside and outside the ILO, are: 1. Analysis. Market research and analysis - Understanding the business case for improving working conditions, and the underlying sector constraints inhibiting decent work outcomes. 2. Action. Market systems interventions - Supporting interventions to improve selected decent work deficits, through cost-sharing, convening actors, brokering relationships and providing technical advice. 3. Learning. Working conditions impact evaluations - Measuring, evaluating and reflecting on what’s working, and why, to adjust strategies and document knowledge. 4. Sharing. Knowledge products - Generating global public goods on proven business models and market analysis methodology, disseminated through running events and supporting communication between practitioners and policymakers. Such analyses, interventions, and evaluations are gender inclusive, where possible, to help identify the various challenges to, and opportunities to address, decent work through a gender sensitive lens.

Project symbol

GLO/17/06/CHE

Admin unit

MSME

Start date

01/10/2017

End date

31/12/2020

Total allocation

2017192

Total expenditure

Status

Closed

2017192

Development Partners

Switzerland, State Secretariat for Economic Affairs

Country/Countries

Global

Outcomes

Outcome 4: Sustainable enterprises as generators of employment and promoters of innovation and decent work