ILO Conventions

The ILO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues to promote decent work throughout the world. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. It has 181 Member States. The ILO has a tripartite governing structure representing governments, employers and workers.

In 1998 the 86th International Labour Conference adopted the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. This declaration identified four issue areas as "core" or fundamental international labour standards. These areas are:

  1. Freedom of association and collective bargaining (C87, C98)
  2. Discrimination, (C100, C111)
  3. Forced labour (C26 and C105)
  4. Child labour (C182, C138)

Any ILO member state should have ratified at least the 8 key conventions dealing with these core issues. These core or fundamental standards have been ratified by the overwhelming majority of ILO member states.

Companies are also expected to respect and promote them throughout the world, through their operations and procurement policies. The supply chain is a key transmitter of these values.

Conventions on health and safety and working hours are not retained in the 8 core conventions but very often associated to them in global labour policies and standards.

Information

  • Author: ILO- International Labor Organisation The ILO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues to promote decent work throughout the world. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. It has 181 Member States.

    The ILO has a tripartite governing structure representing governments, employers and workers.

  • Application: Universal
  • Creation Date: Since 1918, 187 conventions have been issued
  • Availability: Free
  • Pillars: (none so far)

Source

www.ilo.org

Conventions : www.ilo.org/ilolex/

Remarks

Specificity

The ILO conventions are legal standards. Most of the voluntary standards dealing with working conditions are based on these ILO conventions, which they complement and translate in business management practices and audit points.

Nature of the instrument - Conventions. Conventions are International texts, open for ratification by States (they become a treaty when sufficient ratifications). All conventions are considered as International labour standards.

Purpose - Ratification