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Programme targets garment makers
An internationally- sponsored programme to boost the international competitiveness of the apparel industry began yesterday in southern provinces.
The Better Work Programme, a partnership between the International Labour Organisation and the International Finance Corporation aims to improve the working conditions of more than 700,000, and become an agent for international customers who want the sector to become more socially responsible.
"The programme looks forward to working as partners with garment and textile enterprises, workers and the Vietnamese Government to make sustainable improvements in labour conditions," said Tara Rangerajian, programme manager.
"Our goal is to find practical solutions that will decrease costs for project participants, enhance factory competitiveness in international markets, and reduce poverty among Vietnamese apparel workers, their families and communities," she added.
With the programme, apparel enterprises stand to become more competitive by improving working conditions and labour-management relations, enhancing collaboration with buyers, and strengthening business processes.
Services include assessments of attainment of international labour standards and national labour law, as well as customised advisory services and a range of training options for managers, supervisors and workers.
"The corporation’s experience shows that there’s a clear and strong business case for companies to effectively manage their social risks. It is an opportunity to demonstrate that responsible labour practices have the potential to open export markets," said Nguyen Quynh Trang, head of the corporation advisory services, Mekong region.
Initially targeting apparel factories with more than 200 workers each located in HCM City, Binh Duong and Dong Nai provinces in the first year, Better Work Viet Nam’s services aim to improve social dialogue and enhance worker-employer relations.
"Viet Nam is one of the first countries to pilot the programme," said Nguyen Van Tien, chief labour inspector of the Ministry of Labour, Invalid and Social Affairs and chairman of the Better Work Viet Nam’s Project Advisory Committee.
"The Project Advisory Committee is looking forward to partnering with the programme to make it successful in achieving better labour compliance, better working conditions, more jobs for labourers, and increased productivity," he said.
"Raising business competitiveness by improving labourers standards in global supply chains is vital for bringing about decent work," said Conor Boyle, an expert with ILO and the Global Better Work Programme in Geneva, Switzerland. "The ILO Viet Nam office is excited about the Better Work Viet Nam because the programme can contribute to demonstrating how this can practically and sustainably be done," he said.
The programme was established in October last year. Total investment is expected to be US$2.5 million for 75 factories in the first year and 150 others in the second year.
The garment and textile sector was chosen to carry out the pilot programme because it is the largest export industry with more than 20 per cent of industrial output, and provides jobs for 2 million workers and has strong international buyer interest.
In Viet Nam, the Better Work Programme is supported by the governments of Australia, Canada, Finland, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.
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