Better Work assessment preparation and consulting

Introduction to the Better Work programme

Better Work is a joint programme of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. It seeks to improve working conditions and competitiveness in garment supply chains through assessment, advisory support and training. The original article described cooperation with more than 50 international brands and operations in nine countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Haiti, Indonesia, Jordan, Nicaragua and Vietnam. These are historical figures, not a current programme inventory.

Better Work Vietnam began in 2009, working with workers, employers and government to improve working conditions and competitiveness in Vietnam's garment industry.

Better Work combines assessment, advisory support and training to improve working conditions; it should not be presented as a standalone ISO-style certificate. ITVC supports preparation, while official enrolment and assessment follow Better Work procedures.

The original article described a team of approximately 50 staff providing assessment, advisory and training services, and cooperation with the then Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) on social dialogue. These details reflect the programme at the time of writing; use current programme guidance and applicable labour law for implementation.

At the time described in the original article, Better Work Vietnam supported more than 400 export-oriented factories with over half a million workers, approximately 21% of the sector's workforce, mainly around Ho Chi Minh City. The article also reported thousands of assessment and advisory visits and more than 683,000 workers reached by training. These archived figures should not be read as current totals.

Better Work Vietnam also works with government, unions and employer organisations to strengthen their capacity to support compliance and improvement, and to develop practical, evidence-based labour-market policies.

Benefits of participation in Better Work

Benefits for workers

Better Work seeks to improve garment workers' conditions, including the following areas:

• Reducing misuse of probationary and insecure contracts that leave workers without adequate protection.

Improved working conditions

• Working hours, benefits, social insurance, maternity protection, overtime, wages and bonuses.

Children's access to education

Improved working conditions and earnings can strengthen workers' ability to pay for their children's education.

Benefits for businesses

Better working conditions can also benefit businesses over time. Better Work research in Vietnam links improved working conditions with productivity and profitability gains. Outcomes depend on the factory and implementation; this is not a guaranteed profit increase for every participant.

Better Work - Working conditions, productivity and profitability