ILO Signs Three Partnerships to Turn Living Wage Promises Into Action for Workers

The ILO will bring governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations, and other living wage initiatives into roundtable discussions in countries where Unilever operates.

A wage that supports a decent life can make a meaningful difference to workers and the families depending on their earnings. The International Labour Organization (ILO) has signed three public-private partnership agreements with the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA), Unilever and amfori to help turn living wage commitments into practical action, bringing worker needs, reliable evidence and business sustainability into the same conversation.

These are the first agreements under the ILO Living Wage Programme since its launch in April 2025. They build on the 2024 agreement reached by governments, employers and workers on wage policies, including living wages, and support an approach consistent with the Minimum Wage Fixing Convention, 1970 (No. 131).

Making Living Wage Commitments Count

The programme's central concern is whether workers earn enough to provide a decent standard of living for themselves and their families, with attention to the sustainability of the businesses and economies providing their jobs. That requires wage discussions grounded in family needs and relevant economic conditions, supported by institutions that understand the circumstances in each country.

Voluntary living wage initiatives have expanded among multinational companies and business groups, but many do not fully reflect the ILO's principles for estimating living wages and putting them into practice. The new partnerships seek greater consistency, helping businesses connect their commitments with credible data, national wage-setting systems and discussions involving governments, employers and workers.

RBA and Unilever Focus on Evidence and Shared Plans

The Responsible Business Alliance, one of the world's largest industry coalitions promoting responsible conduct in global supply chains, will work with the ILO and its constituents to estimate workers' and families' needs, including living wages. This work will apply the ILO methodology and examine relevant economic factors using national data, giving RBA members estimates and guidance they can use in their operations and supply chains. RBA chief executive Rob Lederer described the partnership as support for evidence-based approaches to wages.

Unilever's agreement addresses the coordination needed to advance living wages across complex supply chains and different national settings. The ILO will bring governments, employers' and workers' organizations, and other living wage initiatives into roundtable discussions in countries where Unilever operates. Participants will jointly develop roadmaps for gradual implementation at national, sectoral and company levels, creating a clearer understanding of responsibilities and practical next steps. Rianne Buter, Unilever's Global Vice President for Sustainability, stressed the importance of shared solutions that draw on the perspectives of workers, businesses and governments.

amfori Links Supply Chain Reach With Local Wage Systems

amfori brings experience providing living wage estimates through an established supply chain methodology and a network of 2,400 member companies operating in more than 50 countries. Its partnership will draw on ILO technical assistance and research to support estimates aligned with the organization's principles in beneficiary countries. Broader wage and economic data will help inform discussions between governments, employers and workers and strengthen national wage-setting mechanisms.

For amfori President Linda Kromjong, a common, credible reference point could reduce repeated calculations and disputes over estimates, allowing businesses and their partners to devote more resources to practical progress. The collaboration will connect with existing ILO programmes and initiatives, including the Global Coalition for Social Justice, supporting wage-setting processes rooted in local circumstances.

All three agreements respect national wage-setting institutions and the freedom of employers and workers to negotiate collectively. Governments, employers' organizations and workers' organizations remain the main drivers of change, supported by data from national statistical offices, universities and research institutions. Cooperation with multinational businesses, supply chain partners, UN agencies and development organizations gives the programme a model that can be replicated, pooling expertise around a shared purpose: making living wage commitments meaningful in workers' everyday lives.