The social dimension of globalization will once again dominate the agenda of the International Labour Organization's Governing Body meeting for its 273 rd session over the next two weeks, in Geneva. Increasing calls on businesses to be accountable for the social and environmental impact of their operations and the need for enterprises to protect their image have, in recent years, led to numerous private sector initiatives designed to display commitments to good labour practices and to influence the behaviour of consumers and business partners. Of some 215 codes studied by the ILO, three quarters contain provisions on occupational safety and health while two thirds address the issue of freedom from discrimination in employment. Slightly less than half concern child labour and roughly one quarter prohibit forced labour, sometimes including prison labour.
Implementation can be problematic.
Labels used on products or their packaging by companies to promote their image are another way to send messages to potential buyers and business partners. Numerous new labels have flooded the market since the 1970s with claims relating to animal rights, to the environment and, more recently, to social issues such as child labour. While some social labels have been developed by individual enterprises, many are administered independently by consumer groups, NGOs, trade unions, enterprise associations or any combination thereof. Some apply to specific goods such as hand-knotted rugs, soccer balls or cut flowers. Others are more general and cover different products in the clothing industry, for example, or agriculture.