ILS Acting Executive Director Ahmma Charisma Lobrin-Satumba joined Department of Labor and Employment Undersecretary Ciriaco Lagunzad III and Assistant Secretary Alex Avila in attending the International Labour Organization event "Responsible Supply Chains in Asia: Project Launch and Stakeholders’ Engagement" held at Hotel Sofitel, Manila last November 20.

Mr. Hideki Kagohashi, ILO Enterprise Development Specialist shared his presentation “Rise of the Enabling Environment for Responsible Supply Chains: Recent Trends and Practices Around the Globe.” In the said presentation, Mr. Kagohashi pointed out the global supply chain debate on the lack of international standards that can govern the acts of multinationals across the border, this amidst the growing interest in “sustainability” and “social responsibility” citing the academic publications from 1980 to 2015 that contain the keywords “sustainability,” “social responsibility” and “corporate social responsibility.” He further remarked that there are only two standards that countries currently voluntarily adhere to:  1) ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles Concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Guidelines for International Enterprises.

At the end of his presentation, where different ILO case studies were highlitghted, Mr. Kagohashi posed the question to the attendeed on the readiness of the Philppiines to meet and address responsible supply chain.

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