Employers’ and workers’ representatives with ILO DG Gilbert F. Houngbo at the Bipartite Roadmap launch on Responsible Business Conduct
New Delhi [India], February 20: Employers’ and workers’ organizations in India marked a significant milestone in advancing Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) for decent work with the presentation of a Bipartite Roadmap, in the presence of International Labour Organization (ILO) Director-General, Gilbert F. Houngbo.
The Bipartite Roadmap is the outcome of a structured year-long process of engagement between employers’ and workers’ organizations. It outlines shared priorities and joint actions to promote RBC across enterprises, including MSMEs, with a focus on fair employment practices, occupational safety and health, non-discrimination, social protection, green and digital transitions and strengthened social dialogue mechanisms, among others.
The event saw representatives of employers and workers jointly present the roadmap, highlighting the importance of collaboration in advancing decent work, strengthening industrial relations and aligning national frameworks with international labour standards.
ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo said: “The steps taken here in India contribute to the global movement by demonstrating how dialogue between employers and workers can identify shared priorities and translate them into practical cooperation”.
He added: “Responsible Business Conduct for decent work contributes to respecting and enabling the core labour rights at work; strengthening industrial relations and meaningful social dialogue; and supporting sustainable development and inclusive growth. This aligns closely with the vision of the Global Coalition for Social Justice.”
The event, held at Le Méridien, New Delhi, underscored the shared commitment of social partners to strengthen labour standards, foster social dialogue and promote sustainable and responsible business practices across enterprises and their supply chains. The roadmap highlights how employers’ and workers’ organizations will engage in in capacity-building initiatives, dialogues and policy advocacy to operationalize RBC principles and enhance workplace cooperation.
Michiko Miyamoto, Director of the Decent Work Team for South Asia and Country Office for India, ILO, said: “This roadmap marks the beginning of a journey built on joint prioritization and collaboration between employers’ and workers’ organizations and reflects the trust that they have built through sustained dialogue. It provides a practical framework for joint action. Through this bipartite cooperation on Responsible Business Conduct for decent work, India has showcased how dialogue can enable collaborative solutions to complex challenges and encourage businesses to engage in responsible business practices.”
The roadmap was developed under the ILO programme “Building Responsible Value Chains in Asia through the Promotion of Decent Work in Business Operations”, supported by the Government of Japan. Key milestones included consultations with trade unions and employer organizations in 2025, leading to the development of a roadmap for action based on common priorities. The joint roadmap was launched on 29 January 2026. Six employers’ organizations and six workers’ organizations have already committed to taking action under the roadmap, with more expected to join this collaborative initiative.
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