The primary goal of the ILO is to promote opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equality, security and human dignity. 

Social dialogue plays a key role in achieving this objective. It is a means of strengthening democratic decision-making and achieving decent work, and an end in itself. As much as social dialogue may differ from country to country, the overriding principles of freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining remain the same. Indeed, these are essential preconditions for sound social dialogue and industrial relations. The main aim of social dialogue is to improve the quality of decisions and policies by involving the main stakeholders in the world of work, notably employers, workers and their representatives. Successful social dialogue structures and processes have the potential to resolve important economic and social issues, deal with crises such as COVID-19, encourage good governance, reduce inequality and promote growth. 

The extent of social dialogue has a direct impact on the climate of social peace and stability, as well as the overall governance of the labour market and the economy as a whole. There is no one-size-fits-all model of social dialogue that can be readily exported from one context to another. However, there is a rich diversity of institutional arrangements, legal frameworks, traditions and practices in different part of the world.