Responsible Business Conduct and Freedom of Association
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Online
Responsible Business Conduct and Freedom of Association
14 April–2 May 2025
Introduction to the course
This course explores the fundamental principle and right of Freedom of Association (FoA) and the Right to Collective Bargaining, focusing on how businesses, development finance institutions, state-owned enterprises, and procurement agencies can promote responsible business conduct. It highlights the role of FoA in fostering fair and safe working conditions, enabling workers to organize and negotiate collectively for better terms of employment. Participants will learn about the importance of human rights due diligence (HRDD) in upholding these rights, ensuring that enterprises respect and promote collective bargaining across their operations and supply chains. The course aims to equip stakeholders with the tools and strategies necessary to implement FoA in a way that aligns with global standards and sustainable business practices.
Who attends this course?
- Enterprises (privately owned or state-owned); - Procurement agencies - Line ministries with a specific mandate and interest in business and human rights (trade and commerce, procurement, justice and human rights); - Development finance institutions; - National human rights institutions; - Academia; - Tripartite appointed national focal points for the promotion of the MNE Declaration and OECD National Contact Points for RBC; - UN agencies; - Employers' organizations and trade unions.
What will I be able to do?
Participants will be able to advise their institutions to further advance responsible business conduct and contribute to more effective HRDD processes, including:
- Strengthening existing or newly HRDD systems
- Develop and establish partnerships
- Grievance mechanisms and access to remediation
- Designing HRDD interventions
Why should I join?
The International Training Centre of the ILO (ITCILO) is part of the UN system and is the training arm of the International Labour Organization. The ITCILO is known for innovative learning methods and for being a marketplace for new ideas and innovations
in the world of work.
- An opportunity to connect and interact with colleagues from across the globe on topics of mutual concern;
- Learn from and with each other on best practices;
- Engage with experts from international and regional organizations on tools and instruments to advance workers’ rights in business operations.
- Successful candidates receive an ITCILO Certificate of participation.
Course structure and methodology
The course will be offered through the eCampus – the ITCILO learning platform – over a period of 3 weeks, for an estimated total of 32 learning hours.
- Online learning: Flexible self-guided online learning on the ITCILO eCampus.
- ‘Real time’ learning and experience sharing: live interactive webinars with highly experienced trainers and resources persons.
- Forum and experience sharing: Interactions among the participants and with the facilitators during the live sessions as well as on the course forum.
As part of your participation, you will develop a specific HRDD component (risk assessment, capacity building plan, intervention and remedial mechanisms, etc.) relevant to the product/service, sector and/or location of your choice.
At the end of the learning journey, participants receive a Certificate of Participation.
How to register
Please apply by 6 April 2025 via the following link:https://oarf2.itcilo.org/DST/A9718004/en
Partial scholarships are available for qualifying candidates and will be allocated on a rolling basis. Therefore, we encourage interested candidates to apply as early as possible.
