ILO Holds Workshop in İstanbul on 'Promoting Decent Work'

The event, held with the support of the European Union’s Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA-III), was organized in collaboration with Türkiye’s Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Directorate General of Guidance and Inspection (DoGI).

The International Labour Organization (ILO) recently convened its third workshop on "Promoting Decent Work" in İstanbul, focusing on enhancing responsible business conduct to combat forced labour and human rights abuses. The event, held with the support of the European Union's Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA-III), was organized in collaboration with Türkiye's Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Directorate General of Guidance and Inspection (DoGI).

Building on previous workshops in İzmir, which addressed "Enhancing Safety Culture in Workplaces" and "Promoting Decent Work Environments in Non-Standard Forms of Employment," this session centered on "Responsible Business Conduct and Decent Work." The workshop was attended by 50 participants, including labour inspectors, ministry officials, social partners, private sector representatives, and academic experts.

Opening the workshop, ILO Türkiye Director Yasser Hassan and DoGI President Bekir Aktürk emphasized the importance of responsible business practices. The session featured presentations on critical topics, including forced labour standards and new regulatory frameworks such as the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and the German Supply Chain Act. Professors Gaye Burcu Yıldız and Gürkan Emre Gürcanlı shared research findings highlighting significant gaps in decent work standards in Türkiye.

Dr. Ulaş Baysal discussed the implications of the EU and German regulations on business practices, while Dr. Kezban Yağcı Sokat provided insights into global efforts to combat human trafficking and forced labour in supply chains. The afternoon panel, moderated by DoGI Deputy Chairman Gökhan Ateş, included:

• Evrin Dağkaldıran Demiralp, Labour Expert at the Directorate General of Labour, who outlined Alliance 8.7's goals and Türkiye's role as a pathfinder country in promoting safe and healthy work environments.
• Özlem Ünlüer, Sustainability Director at Beko, who shared best practices and concrete examples of responsible business conduct within their operations and supply chains.
• Özkan Yaşar, RTB Labour Inspector, who highlighted the role of labour inspection in addressing human trafficking for forced labour and Türkiye's progress in ratifying the 2014 Protocol to the Forced Labour Convention of 1930 (P029).

This İstanbul workshop concluded the "Promoting Decent Work" series, which aimed to enhance understanding and implementation of decent work standards within Türkiye's national labour legislation and international frameworks. By integrating stakeholder feedback and research, the series seeks to develop actionable policy recommendations to elevate Türkiye's working conditions to international standards and foster greater dialogue between the business community and social partners.