Türkiye Boosts Responsible Business via Key Dialogue

Government representatives, employers' and workers' organizations, businesses and international partners gathered in İstanbul for a two-day conference to advance responsible business conduct (RBC) and strengthen the implementation of human rights due diligence across Türkiye's supply chains.

The International Conference on Advancing Responsible Business Conduct in Türkiye, co-organized by the ILO Office for Türkiye and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MoLSS), provided a national platform for translating international responsible business standards into practical action through social dialogue.

Opening the conference, Yasser Hassan, Director of the ILO Office for Türkiye, and Prof. Dr. Lutfihak Alpkan, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Security, emphasized that responsible business conduct is essential for promoting decent work, sustainable enterprises and inclusive economic growth. They reaffirmed the shared commitment of the Government of Türkiye and the ILO to strengthening responsible business practices through tripartite cooperation.

"Our joint decision to convene this conference on responsible business conduct demonstrates the strong commitment of the MoLSS and the ILO to support Türkiye's ambitious sustainable development agenda." said Hassan. We are also pleased to see the designation of the National Focal Point for the ILO MNE Declaration, which provides an important institutional platform for advancing awareness, cooperation and practical action."

Highlighting Türkiye's potential to lead on responsible business conduct, Hassan noted that the country's integration into regional and global markets creates significant opportunities to combine competitiveness with sustainability and social justice.

"Türkiye has the institutions, the experience and the partnerships needed to advance responsible, inclusive and sustainable economic development. Let us renew our collective commitment to support that." he said.

Addressing the conference, Dan Rees, Director of ILO's Action Programme on Supply Chains, underlined that responsible business conduct is increasingly recognized as an essential component of sustainable economic development and competitive supply chains.

He noted that Türkiye's strong policy foundations and efforts provide an enabling environment for expanding responsible business conduct across supply chains. Rees emphasized that governments bear the primary responsibility for protecting workers' rights through effective legislation, enforcement and access to remedy where rights violations occur, while enterprises have an independent responsibility to respect internationally recognized labour standards and human rights by identifying, preventing and addressing adverse impacts linked to their operations.

He also stressed that improving working conditions should be viewed not as a cost, but as an investment that strengthens business resilience, productivity and long-term competitiveness.

As a Pathfinder Country of Alliance 8.7, Türkiye continues to strengthenefforts to eliminate child labour, forced labour, human trafficking and modern slavery while supporting a just transition through green and digital transformation. The conference contributed to these national priorities by promoting responsible business conduct throughout global supply chains.

Participants discussed how international frameworks, including the ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration), the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, can be translated into national policy and business practice.

A central focus of the conference was the role of social dialogue in advancing human rights due diligence. Representatives from the Ministry of Trade, the Ministry of Industry and Technology, and the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye (TİHEK), together with experts from the OECD, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the European External Action Service, exchanged experiences and identified practical approaches to implementation.

On the second day, representatives of employers' and workers' organizations in Türkiye, including TİSK, TESK, TOBB, TÜRK-İŞ and HAK-İŞ, discussed how social partners can jointly promote responsible business conduct through stronger coordination, institutional cooperation and practical guidance for enterprises.

The conference also introduced the ILO MNE Declaration National Focal Point, reinforcing national institutional mechanisms to promote responsible business conduct and support the implementation of international labour standards.

Bringing together government institutions, employers, workers and international organizations, the conference reinforced cooperation to advance responsible business conduct, strengthen sustainable supply chains and promote decent work in Türkiye.