In the ILO we recognize that the single most important task facing the International Labour Organization in the 21 st century will be the provision of opportunities for decent work for women and men. We need to globalize social progress. This demands a productive and mutually supportive relationship between business, the state and society in which trade unions and business are the largest organized actors. The future pattern of enterprise development is therefore central to all areas of ILO action. The business environment is a key determinant of the competitiveness of enterprises and, thus, of the ability of nations to generate adequate jobs.
Experience shows that a stable and supportive policy and regulatory environment is important.
The presence of entrepreneurship and an enterprise culture provides the energy and dynamism needed to take advantage of opportunities. Access to capital, infrastructure in the areas of education and training, institutions for social dialogue, science and technology, communications, transportation and logistics are all fundamental factors which allow enterprises to compete in the global market place. To make my point, I want you to just reflect upon the relevance to enterprises of the fight against global poverty. Three billion people survive today on less than two dollars a day. If they escape this grinding poverty.