Türkiye Appoints Labour Directorate as National Focal Point for ILO MNE Declaration

“I am glad that the work of ILO Office for Türkiye with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security has yielded such a tangible and important step,” said Yasser Hassan, Director of the ILO Office for Türkiye.

The Government of the Republic of Türkiye has officially designated the Directorate General for Labour within the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MoLSS) as the national focal point for promoting and implementing the ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration).

The appointment was formally communicated to ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo by Türkiye’s Minister of Labour and Social Security, Prof. Dr. Vedat Işıkhan, reaffirming the country’s commitment to responsible business conduct (RBC), respect for fundamental principles and rights at work, and the advancement of decent work across supply chains.

Strengthening Türkiye–ILO Cooperation on Responsible Business

The designation reflects Türkiye’s long-standing cooperation with the ILO, particularly in the areas of labour governance, social dialogue, responsible business conduct, and human rights due diligence (HRDD).

This partnership has been further strengthened through recent joint initiatives aimed at advancing international labour standards in enterprise operations.

Key milestones include:

• A tripartite workshop in January 2024, where government, employers, and workers enhanced their understanding of RBC and discussed ways to promote decent work through responsible investment

• Türkiye joining Alliance 8.7 as a Pathfinder Country in April 2024 and developing a Country Roadmap identifying RBC and decent work as national priorities

• A national meeting on the MNE Declaration convened in February 2025 by MoLSS and the ILO Office for Türkiye, bringing together government, employers’ and workers’ organizations, civil society, and international stakeholders

“I am glad that the work of ILO Office for Türkiye with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security has yielded such a tangible and important step,” said Yasser Hassan, Director of the ILO Office for Türkiye.

The MNE Declaration: ILO’s Key Instrument on Responsible Business Conduct

The ILO MNE Declaration is the organization’s central instrument on responsible business conduct and the only global framework elaborated and adopted jointly by governments, employers, and workers.

Its principles provide guidance to multinational and national enterprises, home and host governments, and employers’ and workers’ organizations in areas including:

• Employment and training

• Conditions of work and life

• Industrial relations

• Enterprise policies aligned with international labour standards

The Declaration is founded on principles contained in ILO international labour standards.

Role of the National Focal Point

The establishment of a national focal point represents a major step toward strengthening policy coherence between labour, investment, and enterprise policies in Türkiye, while reinforcing social dialogue as a mechanism to ensure multinational enterprises contribute positively to economic and social progress.

In line with the MNE Declaration, the focal point will:

• Promote awareness of the Declaration’s principles

• Facilitate tripartite and tripartite-plus dialogue

• Support capacity-building and knowledge-sharing

• Maintain regular communication with the ILO

• Help prevent or address labour-related challenges arising from enterprise operations

Türkiye Joins a Growing Global Network

With this appointment, Türkiye becomes one of 23 countries worldwide to have informed the ILO of the designation of a national focal point for advancing the MNE Declaration and its principles.

“The broad tripartite consensus on the importance of establishing a national focal point… has now materialized,” Hassan said, reaffirming the ILO’s commitment to supporting Türkiye, employers’ groups, and workers’ organizations in implementing the Declaration effectively.

Advancing Decent Work Across Supply Chains

Türkiye’s move is expected to strengthen national ownership of responsible business frameworks, expand awareness of international labour standards, and promote decent work for all in increasingly complex global supply chains.