Promoting and respecting international labour standards in Asian Development Bank operations: A binding safeguard and beyond

A joint position paper of the ITUC, ITUC-AP, ITF, UNI Global Union, PSI, IUF, BWI, EI, IndustriALL Global Union, and the International Trade Union Confederation/Global Unions Washington Office, outlining how and why Asia Development bank (ADB) should review and rework the existing Social Protection Strategy and Safeguards Policy, and take a firmer stance and leadership in creating a binding safeguard that directly translates the international labour standards of the International Labor Organization to the context of lending. 

The extensive documentation and reports of trade unions with regards to industry shortcomings in environmental impact, workers health wellbeing and safety, and other injustices have not been enough to drive change. Full compliance of all included parties can be achieved with ADB’s implementation of lending policies and procedures that enforces binding international labor safeguards and standards for all projects,  systematic incorporation of core and international labor standards, and project KPIs tracking the job impacts that includes working conditions and labor rights.