Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises (SCORE) Alumni Network Meeting
Enterprises that attended the second meeting of the SCORE alumni network on 3 June 2021 shared progress on SCORE implementation, highlighted the challenges faced and solutions pursued to counter the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participating enterprises were also introduced to ILO’s FIT Programme.
ISLAMABAD (ILO News): The ILO Pakistan, under its European Union funded International Labour and Environmental Standards Application in Pakistan’s SMEs (ILES) project, hosted the second Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises (SCORE) Alumni Network meeting on 3 June 2021. The meeting was held virtually due to COVID 19 restrictions. A total of 45 participants attended the meeting including enterprise representatives from the textile and garments sector who have graduated from the ILO’s SCORE project, SCORE national consultants, the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan (EFP), and ILO colleagues.
Participant enterprises shared their progress in using the SCORE methodology, reflected on how their businesses had adapted once the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the challenges faced, the lessons learned and how they thought SCORE could be adapted further in the future. The ILO’s Factory Improvement Toolset (FIT) was also presented. This open access tool for businesses will be piloted in Pakistan by the ILES project, which will support implementation in 25 enterprises in Karachi. The project also hopes to support implementation by the EFP and the National Productivity Organisation.
The SCORE enterprise representatives highlighted that many systems piloted during the SCORE intervention had already started to take root and were yielding good results. One enterprise recorded a monthly saving of PKR 1.3 million in May 2021. Another reported improved management-worker relations. Other examples included improvements in 5S audits (from 25% to 60%), improved achievement in production targets, reduction in absenteeism of 10%+ and reductions in materials usage and retrieval times. One enterprise mentioned that it is encouraging implementation by holding department level competitions to recognise the best implementation levels.
The ILO presented the FIT methodology, made up of open source modules, specifically designed for the textile and garment sector, to allow enterprises to engage management and workers to tackle workplace practices, improve relationships and increase productivity. The ILES project team outlined plans to pilot FIT in Pakistan, supported by corresponding facilitators. The project also hopes to support the EFP to introduce its own FIT facilitation service to its members.
Mr Fasih Ul Karim Siddiqui, Senior Consultant and Ex-General Secretary, EFP outlined that every enterprise should aim at the “3Cs”, improved compliance, provision of a conducive working environment and content of workers and managers, in order to prosper and grow. He congratulated the ILO and the enterprises for SCORE’s successes
The ILO’s Country Director for Pakistan, Ingrid Christensen, reminded the participants that they represented one of the key sectors that contributes to Pakistan’s economy and their pivotal role in supporting decent work and sustainable environmental compliance. She outlined the links between quality, productivity and labour standards and thanked the enterprises in the Alumni group for their collaboration with the ILO and progress in these areas.
Mr. Kelvin Sergeant, the ILO Enterprise Specialist based in the Decent Work Team, Delhi, expressed his support for the implementation of SCORE and FIT in Pakistan and the results achieved by SCORE so far.
The ILES project will now invite applications from enterprises to take part in new batches of SCORE and the roll out of the FIT pilot later this year.
| The ILO Pakistan began SCORE implementation in Pakistan in 2018. Since then it has successfully implemented the programme in 19 enterprises in the textile and garments sector, with an 88% satisfaction rate. The FIT is a toolset designed to be used by factory teams including managers, supervisors, and workers to encourage continuous improvement and drive action. With more than fifty tools to choose from, the factories can customise their training programme as per their needs. For more details please visit: https://learninghub.ilo.org/program/Factory_Improvement_Toolset_FIT |
Participant enterprises shared their progress in using the SCORE methodology, reflected on how their businesses had adapted once the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the challenges faced, the lessons learned and how they thought SCORE could be adapted further in the future. The ILO’s Factory Improvement Toolset (FIT) was also presented. This open access tool for businesses will be piloted in Pakistan by the ILES project, which will support implementation in 25 enterprises in Karachi. The project also hopes to support implementation by the EFP and the National Productivity Organisation.
Our 5S Audit score that never crossed 25%, now reached 60% due to SCORE intervention "
Mr. Mustafa from ICL-MIDAS, Pakistan
The SCORE enterprise representatives highlighted that many systems piloted during the SCORE intervention had already started to take root and were yielding good results. One enterprise recorded a monthly saving of PKR 1.3 million in May 2021. Another reported improved management-worker relations. Other examples included improvements in 5S audits (from 25% to 60%), improved achievement in production targets, reduction in absenteeism of 10%+ and reductions in materials usage and retrieval times. One enterprise mentioned that it is encouraging implementation by holding department level competitions to recognise the best implementation levels.
The key to success for the enterprises is to work around 3Cs: compliance, conducive environment and contentment"
Mr. Fasi ul Karim Siddiqui, EFP
The ILO presented the FIT methodology, made up of open source modules, specifically designed for the textile and garment sector, to allow enterprises to engage management and workers to tackle workplace practices, improve relationships and increase productivity. The ILES project team outlined plans to pilot FIT in Pakistan, supported by corresponding facilitators. The project also hopes to support the EFP to introduce its own FIT facilitation service to its members.
Mr Fasih Ul Karim Siddiqui, Senior Consultant and Ex-General Secretary, EFP outlined that every enterprise should aim at the “3Cs”, improved compliance, provision of a conducive working environment and content of workers and managers, in order to prosper and grow. He congratulated the ILO and the enterprises for SCORE’s successes
Our workers attendance greatly improved, we started seeing a 10-12% improvement in workers absenteeism than before "
Mr. Naeem Ahmad, HANTEX
The ILO’s Country Director for Pakistan, Ingrid Christensen, reminded the participants that they represented one of the key sectors that contributes to Pakistan’s economy and their pivotal role in supporting decent work and sustainable environmental compliance. She outlined the links between quality, productivity and labour standards and thanked the enterprises in the Alumni group for their collaboration with the ILO and progress in these areas.
People run the systems and systems run the companies"
Mr. Jayantha de Silva, ILO SCORE Global Consultant
Mr. Kelvin Sergeant, the ILO Enterprise Specialist based in the Decent Work Team, Delhi, expressed his support for the implementation of SCORE and FIT in Pakistan and the results achieved by SCORE so far.
The ILES project will now invite applications from enterprises to take part in new batches of SCORE and the roll out of the FIT pilot later this year.