The 110th session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) in June this year held a general discussion on decent work and the social and solidarity economy. The general discussion led to the adoption of a resolution and conclusions concerning decent work and the social and solidarity economy.

In follow up to the ILC, the Office developed a Strategy and Action Plan on Decent Work and the Social and Solidarity Economy to give effect to the Conclusions. The SAP was presented to the 346th Governing Body for their comments and suggestions on November 9th.

The seven-year SAP is based on five key operating principles:

• Grounding in international labour standards and social dialogue.
• Gender equality and non-discrimination.
• Respect for SSE values and complementarity between SSE entities and other enterprises.
• Context-specificity with respect to nations and regions.
• Adaptability vis a vis changing circumstances.

The strategy and action plan is structured around three objectives:

• The first objective on improved understanding of realities and needs related to decent work and the SSE focuses on three output areas on research, statistics and knowledge management.
• The second objective on increased capacity to promote decent work and the SSE has three outputs at the societal, organizational and individual levels.
• The third objective on enhanced coherence on decent work and the SSE includes three outputs on policy, programmatic and budgetary coherence.

The SAP were well received by the GB members. They welcomed the SAP noting that it was succinct and well-grounded in the ILC Conclusions. They noted that it incorporated the priorities of the ILO Constituents as highlighted during the ILC.

Some GB groups noted that they welcomed the priority thematic areas identified in the SAP noting that it is good that these areas are closely aligned with ILO DG’s action programme areas. These priority thematic areas are:

• Decent work for care economy workers
• Transitions from the informal to the formal economy
• Just transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies
• Decent work in supply chains
• Decent work in crisis and post-crisis situations

Some of the ILO constituents noted that this is an ambitious document. They said therefore that they recognized that some of the activities under the SAP will be delivered using the available resources, while its fuller implementation will require the allocation and mobilization of additional resources.

In responding to the comments received from the GB members, as Representative of the ILO DG, the Head of the Cooperatives Unit, Ms Simel Esim said that the Office welcomed the guidance of the Governing Body and would be taking it into account moving forward.

The strategy and the action plan should be read together as one document, she noted. The action plan presented concisely what needed to be done to implement the strategy, she further suggested. All elements of the SAP fully aligned with the five operating principles and the Conference conclusions.

The Governing Body endorsed the SAP on decent work and the social solidarity economy. It further requested the Director-General to consider its guidance in the implementation of the SAP.