Stakeholder dialogue

Stakeholder dialogue on Socially Responsible Enterprises and Employers Federation of Pakistan’s national business agenda

The Employers’ Federation of Pakistan (EFP) convened a stakeholders dialogue to raise awareness among stakeholders on key elements of the ILO’s Declaration on Multinational Enterprises & Social Policy. The ILO’s MNE Declaration Project, funded by the Government of Japan, supported this initiative of the EFP. Relevant stakeholders from the world of work, discoursed at length, focusing on the opportunities & challenges concerning occupational, safety & health and women engagement in the workforce.

Press release | Karachi, Pakistan | 19 October 2017
KARACHI (ILO News): With the technical assistance of International Labour Organization (ILO), Employers’ Federation of Pakistan (EFP) convened a Stakeholders’ Dialogue on EFP’s National Business Agenda and the Multinational Enterprises & Social Policy Declaration (MNE Declaration). The event brought together about two hundred participants including the Honourable Minister for Labour, Information and Transport, Government of Sindh, Mr Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, who officiated as the Chief Guest, Mr Toshikazu Isomura, Consul General of Japan in Karachi as the Guest of Honour and Dr. Arshad Vohra, Deputy Mayor of Karachi.

The Minister for Labour, Information and Transport in his speech appreciated EFP and ILO in extending full cooperation in addressing the issues and challenges faced by employers and workers. He also hailed the positive efforts of EFP in bringing the business community together on issues of labour and social compliance and the projects being undertaken by EFP. This, according to the Minister, spoke volumes about the commitment of the Employers Organizations to the common cause of improving labour market governance on which the Government of Sindh is also working. Mr Syed Nasir Hussain Shah announced a contribution of Rs. 2.5 million to help EFP develop the Sindhi translation of ILO-ITC OSH training module, which has been introduced in Pakistan with the technical assistance of ILO and The Dutch Employers Cooperation Programme (DECP).

Mr Toshikazu Isomura, Consul General of Japan in Karachi expressed his satisfaction on the outcomes of the Project on “More and Better Jobs through Socially Responsible Labour Practices in Asia (Pakistan) – Phase II”. The Project is funded by the Government of Japan through the Social Safety Net Fund under the ILO/Japan Multi-bilateral Programme. He expressed the hope that the lessons learnt from the Project would lead to more intensive efforts to help the industry growth in Sialkot and beyond.

Mr Majyd Aziz President EFP in his speech gave an overview of the initiatives that EFP has taken to promote social dialogue, compliance+, increased interaction with the Federal and Provincial Governments on issues of labour, environment and other challenges faced by business. He made a special mention of the launch of the Skills Pakistan 2020 initiative to produce 2000 skilled persons in next three years. At the event, EFP also launched the National Business Agenda containing solutions to economic & social challenges. Moreover, he highlighted the direct linkages of the National Business Agenda with Pakistan’s Decent Work Country Program and the Sustainable Development Goals whose implementation and realization can be achieved through public private partnership and the continued technical assistance of the ILO and other development partners.

Ms Ingrid Christensen, Director, ILO Country Office for Pakistan in her address congratulated EFP on holding a fruitful dialogue of stakeholders on MNE Declaration. She highlighted that EFP with the technical assistance of ILO and funding from the Government of Japan was actively implementing the above-mentioned joint Project in coordination with other stakeholders to promote and strengthen socially responsible labour practices in the supply chain of the multinational enterprises (MNEs) and their suppliers in the sports goods manufacturing sector. She added that the Project was currently supporting the collection of replicable and scalable labour and CSR practices in Sialkot sports goods industry. The intention is that these could be shared beyond Sialkot serving as inspiration for other companies.

During the occasion, EFP announced the winners of the 5th Employers’ of the Year Award 2016 to companies demonstrating good practices in the area of management, HR and employment, working conditions, labour laws compliance, CSR, adherence to social protection floors and/or the principles of MNE Declaration. Among the awardees were five sports goods manufacturing companies from Sialkot.