Namibia hosted the National SUSTAIN Workshop "Advancing Decent Work through Responsible Business Conduct and International Labour Standards in Trade and Investment in Namibia" from 30 September to 2 October, bringing together stakeholders from government, workers' and employers' organizations to discuss the linkages between trade, investment, decent work, and responsible business conduct (RBC).
The workshop provided an important platform for dialogue and the exchange of views on how to enhance synergies, strengthen collaboration, and promote policy coherence to ensure that trade and investment contribute effectively to decent work and sustainable development. It also clarified the roles and responsibilities of various government institutions, enterprises, and trade unions-particularly regarding investment attraction, trade facilitation, and the expectations of enterprises in terms of RBC and decent work.
Additionally, the event served as an opportunity to engage stakeholders in informing the SUSTAIN Project-Sustainable Trade and Investment in Southern Africa-on its specific outputs and activities. Funded by the European Union (EU), the SUSTAIN project supports Namibian stakeholders in strengthening trade and investment frameworks that promote respect for international labour standards and responsible business conduct. This is achieved through making better use of the ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, as well as other RBC-related instruments such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on RBC.
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The workshop was opened by Deputy Executive Director Ms. Aune Mudjanima, representing the Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations. Ms Mudjanima reaffirmed the importance of the meeting we have a tool that has been in place for over 40 years, the ILO MNE Declaration, which is designed to help us deepen our understanding and promote the Decent Work agenda in the private sector. Therefore, let us, together, take advantage of this workshop to shape a future where trade and investment serve not only economic gain but also the dignity, security, and prosperity of all Namibians.
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H.E. Ms. Ana Beatriz Martins, EU Ambassador to Namibia, underscored in her remarks in the opening session the importance of responsible business conduct for business, workers, and society at large:
By focusing on responsible business conduct-guided by these frameworks, laws, and political will-we can create an environment where investments truly benefit society. When businesses operate responsibly and in alignment with international standards, they contribute to both economic and social progress."
Ms. Githa Roelans, Head of the Multinational Enterprises and Responsible Business Conduct Unit at the International Labour Organization (ILO), noted that many African countries-including Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, and Mozambique-are advancing decent work and human rights in trade and investment through legislation, policy, and regulatory frameworks, and by engaging with businesses, workers, and civil society. "In this evolving policy and regulatory landscape, the ILO plays a critical role-through its tripartite structure and, equally important, through its normative framework and instruments: international labour standards and its key declarations, most notably the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (ILO MNE Declaration)."
Participants to the workshop discussed and agreed upon a national roadmap for an enabling environment for the promotion and implementation of responsible business practices and respect for ILS for the realization of decent work in business, trade, and investment, guided by the ILO MNE Declaration. This roadmap identified several priorities to be addressed, including job creation and decent work through value addition, the challenge of informality, and social dialogue related to broader social and economic development and enterprise development.
Concrete actions included the designation of national focal points for the promotion of the MNE Declaration to enhance awareness and drive dialogue on RBC, decent work, trade, and investment, as well as a stakeholder mapping exercise and policy review of gaps and opportunities for the promotion of RBC principles and standards to enhance policy coherence and synergies.
About the SUSTAIN Project:
The project "Promoting decent work and capacity building for labour ministries, labour inspections and social partners to advance international labour standards and responsible business conduct (RBC) through sustainable trade and investments in Southern Africa (SUSTAIN - Southern Africa)" aims to further harness trade and investment to advance decent work opportunities for women and men in Southern Africa through increased respect for International Labour Standards (ILS) and the adoption of responsible and sustainable business practices, guided by the ILO MNE Declaration. The SUSTAIN project is financially supported by the European Union
