Codes and Guidelines
For many companies establishing clear codes and guidelines regarding migrant workers is a key step for addressing the challenges and preventing abuse within both company and supplier operations.
Whilst many companies have guidelines in place for their operations and those of their suppliers best practice suggests that these should contain explicit reference to migrant workers and the unique set of circumstances they may face ie fees to recruitment agencies, retention of documents etc.
Work undertaken by leading companies around this agenda would seem to suggest that working in partnership with suppliers to map migrant workforces within the supply chain and establish and develop clear guidelines reduces the risk of abuse and offers measurable benefits.
Below are a selection of codes and guidelines developed by a number of organisations and businesses regarding migrant workers:
Adidas Group
Adidas Group Employment Guidelines
The Adidas Group have a comprehensive section on migrant workers in their company employment standard guidelines including useful advice about the role of recruitment agencies. (Section 5 pages 107 - 117). Their guidelines outline many of the problems faced by migrant workers and company best practice for their mitigation.
Arcadia Group
Arcadia Group Code of Conduct Guidelines
The Arcadia Group have made clear commitments to work with their suppliers to achieve sustainable improvements in the recruitment and employment of migrant workers within their supply chains. Their guidelines for migrant workers can be found in the company Code of Conduct Guidebook:Part 4 - Management Systems Tools (Chapter 2 pages 225 - 231)
CIETT International Confederation of Private Employment Agencies
CIETT are the international body representing private employment agencies in 42 countries worldwide. Their guidelines seek to establish clear standards of professionalism and adherence to ILO conventions and international law. In particular CIETT have a clear policy that no fee should be charged to any worker by any agency for placement and that that cost should be borne by the employer.
Ethical Trading Initiative
The ETI base code is an internationally recognised code of labour practice. It is founded on the conventions of the ILO but presents them in an easily understandable 9 point format. All the recommendations of the base code should apply equally to both migrant and indigenous workers. The challenge for business is to undertake due diligence to ensure that, despite their enhanced vulnerability to abuse, migrant workers are protected by this code. The code also provides a useful lens through which to view the activities of other parties such as recruitment agencies.
International Labour Organization (ILO)
ILO Multilateral Framework on Labour Migration
Non-binding principles and guidelines for a rights-based approach to labour migration. Although aimed at policy-makers this framework aims to assist governments, social partners and stakeholders including business in their efforts to manage labour migration and protect migrant workers. The ILO Multilateral Framework on Labour Migration provides a comprehensive set of rights-based guidelines and principles as a global compilation of good practices on labour migration developed by governments and social partners.
The ILO also has a number of conventions around migrant workers. They focus mostly on the establishment of a clear set of principles agreed by ratifying countries. They form a legal baseline for many international standards.
Convention 97 - Migration for Employment Convention
Convention 143 - Migrant Workers (Supplementary Provisions) Convention
Convention 181 - Private Employment Agencies Convention
UN Conventions