ILO/EU holds forum for stakeholders in agricultural value chain

ILO/EU Trade for Decent Work Project- Ghana, has held a Multinational Enterprise (MNE) Declaration forum for key Stakeholders in the Agricultural Value Chain.

The meeting is, primarily, to identify joint priorities and areas of collaboration to eliminate Child Labour and its root causes. Participants are to identify challenges and opportunities linked to the operations of multinational (and national) enterprises in the sector.

After the two-day non-residential session, the stakeholders are expected to build a common understanding of the ILO MNE Declaration and the relevance of its principles to mobilize enterprises and ILO constituents for more and better jobs in the sector.

What is the ILO MNE Declaration

The ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles Concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy

(MNE Declaration) offers guidance for the promotion of sustainable, responsible, and inclusive business practices for a human-centered approach to achieve decent work for all.

Speaking at the forum, a Technical Specialist at the ILO, Chieckh Badiane, noted that the aim of the MNE declaration is to encourage the positive contribution of multinational enterprises to economic and social progress and the realization of decent work for all.

The declaration according to him, will also help to minimize and resolve the difficulties associated with the operations of multinational Enterprises. He explained that although the ILO at its level does not directly punish enterprises that flout the principles of the MNE declaration, the organization has a help desk where complaints can be lodged.

The National Project Co-coordinator of the Trade for decent Work, Dr. Akua Ofori- Asumadu added that, the ILO MNE Declaration promotes Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Thousands of voluntary initiatives and codes of conducts have been signed in recent years by companies trying to assert their Corporate Social Responsibility goals. A lot of multinational enterprises continue to implement what they deem, Corporate Social Responsibility. Many of these initiatives however have no impact on the real life of workers. Dr. Akua Ofori Asumadu emphasized the role of Multinational Enterprises in job creation.

She noted, that the agriculture sector has a dominance of multinational enterprises, hence the need to engage them on the many good labour principles captured in the MNE Declaration.

After the day’s meeting, a roadmap for the promotion and application of the MNE Declaration in the Agricultural Value chain is to be drafted.

The forum was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations GIPC COCOBOD.