Director-General of ILO, Gilbert F. Houngbo, shakes hands with VCCI Chairman Pham Tan Cong

During the meeting between Mr. Pham Tan Cong, Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), and Mr. Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO), both parties discussed their collaboration programs for the future to enhance the protection of workers and support sustainable business development.

The VCCI Chairman acknowledged that the strategic partnership and technical support with ILO over the past two decades have not only strengthened VCCI's voice in the tripartite mechanism but also contributed to enhancing the credibility and image of VCCI as the representative of employers in Vietnam on the international stage.

Currently, VCCI is closely cooperating with several ILO projects, such as the Better Work program, the New Industrial Relations Framework (NIRF) project, the Vision Zero Fund, and more, to support businesses while advocating policies for promoting sustainable employment.

Particularly, the Decent Work Country Program (DWCP) between ILO, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, and other social partner organizations, including VCCI, has gone through three phases of collaboration from 2006 to 2010, 2012 to 2016, 2017 to 2021, and has recently signed the program for the 2022 to 2026 phase, which has achieved significant positive outcomes.

According to the VCCI Chairman, these programs have proven highly effective, enhancing Vietnam's competitiveness in domestic and global supply chains.

VCCI Chairman Phạm Tan Cong presents a souvenir gift to the ILO Director-General during his visit and work trip to VCCI.

To strengthen support and cooperation between the two parties in the future, VCCI Chairman proposed four groups of issues. Firstly, he suggested that ILO continue supporting VCCI in enhancing its role as the representative of employers by providing policy consultation, reforming labor market mechanisms, and improving labor laws to create a favorable environment for sustainable economic, social, and labor development, in line with the international integration process.

Secondly, both sides aim to reinforce comprehensive, sustainable, and responsible ecosystems to increase productivity, promote trade and innovation, ensure fair transitions, improve working conditions and compliance, address environmental concerns, promote green jobs, and combat climate change.

Additionally, ILO will continue supporting VCCI in upgrading and transforming the workforce to seize new opportunities through knowledge, vocational skills, life skills, soft skills, and appropriate digital skills, meeting the demands of the digital age and the changing requirements of the job market.

ILO continues to provide technical support to VCCI to assist businesses in complying with international regulations, labor standards, and meeting the requirements for supply chain responsibility in the EU, Japan, and other important export markets. ILO and VCCI will continue to collaborate on implementing and expanding programs like Better Work to be applicable to other manufacturing sectors.

The VCCI Chairman also believes that with its position, ILO can facilitate connections with relevant stakeholders, influence brands, and engage with financial organizations to support Vietnamese businesses in implementing sustainable development strategies.

Listening to the Chairman's sharing, Mr. Houngbo evaluates that the world is facing various challenges in the post-COVID-19 pandemic context, along with the impacts of economic downturns, political instability in countries, climate change, and the rapid process of digital transformation. Therefore, VCCI's concerns align with the current concerns of employers worldwide.

The Director-General of ILO stated that, to achieve sustainable and stable development, all parties need to focus on addressing inequality, eradicating poverty, and ensuring core social protections. The most effective way to achieve this is by creating sustainable and decent jobs for everyone.

Furthermore, the world is also witnessing shifts in supply chains and transitioning to a digital economy, leading to the emergence of new forms of employment. ILO welcomes the collaboration with VCCI to jointly address these issues, such as actively participating in the greening of the economy, providing necessary skills training and support for workers and businesses to benefit from the new low-carbon era, enhancing labor productivity, and developing new skills for workers to ensure a fair transition process.

The Director-General of ILO emphasized that ILO highly values VCCI's active engagement and contributions. ILO remains ready to listen to and support VCCI in areas related to employment and labor, fostering dialogue, and working with the business community to strive for the goal of improving labor productivity and promoting sustainable business development.

Source: Cam Anh (Business Forum Magazine).