Bangladesh constituents discuss Human Rights Due Diligence developments in relation to International Labour Standards and the ILO MNE Declaration

Trade and investment are vital to Bangladesh's economy, serving as key sources of employment, sustainable economic growth and social progress. In this regard, respect for international labour standards is critical for Bangladesh to ensure continued access to markets and strengthen trade competitiveness, as Bangladesh is in the process of graduating as a Least Developed Country.

The growing references to international labour standards in trade and investments agreements as well as in buyers requirements, implies that enterprises in Bangladesh not only need to be aware of these developments but also supported through a conducive policy environment for Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) in Bangladesh for continued access to global markets to support these efforts, the ILO facilitated in January 2024 a consultation event, “RBC along Value Chain and Purchasing Practices”, among ministries and governmental agencies, social partners and enterprises on the elements of a conducive ecosystem to promote RBC in and beyond the apparel sector in Bangladesh.

Building on the momentum of this consultation, the five-day multi-stakeholder workshop “Decent Work, Responsible Business Conduct, and Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD)” (12-16 May 2024) convened representatives from Employers’ and business member organizations (EBMOs) and trade unions from the leather and agro-processing sectors, together with representatives of government agencies, and civil society organizations. The training provided the participants a unique opportunity to learn more about RBC and HRDD and exchange views and experiences on how this approach and process advance decent work. The workshop also forged a strong collaborative network of emerging leaders on RBC and HRDD in Bangladesh. 

This training introduced participants to key global instruments shaping RBC and HRDD, including the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration). It delved deeper into the fundamental principles and rights at work, wages and hours of work, and their implications for enterprises and sectors. It also guided participants through the steps of a human rights due diligence process, and facilitated discussions on how the participating sectors, together with trade unions and with support from the Government, could proactively respond at the enterprise and sector levels in anticipation of changing market expectations, particularly in light of the enacted human rights due diligence laws, such as the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and Japan’s Guidelines on Respecting Human Rights in Responsible Supply Chains. Speakers also include ILO experts as well as experts from the Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh, the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI).

The training event concluded with participants identifying key issues to further work on as well as specific follow-up activities to support stakeholders in taking on board the responsible business conduct approach, including by putting in place due diligence process, as part of the long-term corporate sustainability strategy. All participants also agreed that more needed to be done to build trust between employers and workers and their representative organizations and to raise awareness and build capacity for all stakeholders.

The event was organized by the Labour Administration and Working Conditions (LAWC) cluster, with contribution from the Trade for Decent Work project, funded by the European Union, and the Advancing Decent Work in Bangladesh project funded by the European Union, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden. The ILO’s Multinational Enterprises and Responsible Business Conduct unit and the International Training Centre of the ILO provided technical support.