The International Labour Organization (ILO) just released a comprehensive guide positioning fundamental labour rights as a central pillar of global trade and supply chain governance. The publication arrives as governments, companies, and trade partners face increasing pressure to align economic integration with social justice, human rights, and sustainable development.
Rather than treating labour standards as a compliance add-on, the guide frames them as a structural component of trade policy, investment decisions, and corporate risk management. It reflects the ILO’s broader effort to integrate its Decent Work Agenda into international economic frameworks at a time when supply chains are being reshaped by digitalization, climate transition, and geopolitical shifts.
Decent Work as the Organizing Framework
At the core of the guide is the ILO’s Decent Work framework, defined as…
