Ensuring a combination of competitiveness, reliability, and compliance with labour standards and human rights in supply chains can be challenging. The ILO has multiple ways to help with these difficulties and has already engaged with numerous private partners in this area. 

For example, both the Child Labour Platform and the Global Business and Disability Network bring together companies and key stakeholders alike in order to facilitate peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, catalyse cooperative approaches, and develop practical tools. 

The Better Work programme, working with the garment sector, plays a significant role in helping international buyers uphold their commitment to comply with international core labour standards and national labour laws, and to continuously improve their global supply chains. It focuses on capacity building, social dialogue, and the identification of practical solutions for sustainable and positive change to the industry. 

Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises (SCORE) is a practical training and in-factory counselling programme that improves productivity and working conditions in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The programme demonstrates best international practice in the manufacturing and service sectors and helps SMEs to participate in global supply chains. 

In 2013, the ILO's International Training Centre in Turin collaborated with enterprises in Brazil. Training materials were adapted for the promotion of green jobs in specific value chains.  In particular, the programme supported the development of sustainable value chain strategies for ethanol and biodiesel – incorporating poor farmers in the supply chains as mandated by Brazilian regulations. Similar initiatives are possible in a myriad of value chains.