ILO

The ILO, through its In-Focus Program “Boosting Employment through Small Enterprise Development”, has conducted action-research in several developing countries, including India and Vietnam, to show the link between labour productivity, firm competitiveness and job quality in SMEs. Investing in job quality leads to business growth through higher productivity and competitiveness. This is the ILO experience in working to improve the capacity of business associations and employers organisations to represent and provide services to small firms operating in industrial clusters.

ILO started on its clusterbased development in  Moradabad  under its global agenda of Decent Work for All. MNCs sourcing handicraft form India and Moradabad in general triggered the choice of selecting Moradabad. They were concerned about the working conditions in the cluster and brought this to ILO’s attention along with other NGOs. ILO focus is facilitating business environment with decent work for all. The major focus in Moradabad Brassware Programme is to facilitate social dialogue along with industrial development for equitable distribution of fruits of industrialisation within the supply chain.  The specific thrust areas during the implementation of the program are -

1)  Examine the avenues to enhance the value addition in the supply chain linkages through closer co-operation between larger manufacturers and smaller workshops.

2)  Demonstrate that it is possible to have low-cost improvement in working environment and application of modern business management skills among the workshops and household units.

3)  Encourage business social responsibility through the participation of large and medium manufacturers and exporters.

4)  Facilitate improvement in the policy and regulatory environment for the growth and improvement of the small and household units.

Source: www.ilo.org