Understanding the International Labour Organisation (ILO): The Global Authority on the World of Work

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) is a name frequently encountered in discussions about international treaties, workplace standards, and human rights. As the specialised agency of the United Nations dedicated to the world of work, the ILO plays a crucial role in establishing the global benchmarks for employment practices and worker dignity.

ILO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland

Here is an overview of what the ILO is, how it functions, and why its mandate is so important for governments, employers, and workers worldwide.

Identity and Core Mission

The ILO is mandated to drive a human-centred approach to the future of work. This core mission is achieved by focusing on four principal areas: employment creation, rights at work, social protection and social dialogue.

The foundation of the ILO’s work rests upon deeply held principles. Its efforts are anchored in the Declaration of Philadelphia (1944), which affirms that all human beings, regardless of race, creed, or sex, have the right to pursue both their material well-being and their spiritual development in conditions of freedom and dignity, of economic security and equal opportunity. The protection of human dignity has been intrinsic to the work of the ILO since its outset.

Furthermore, the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work acts as a key promotional instrument, committing member states to respect and promote four core labour principles.

“Across 187 member states, the International Labour Organization stands as the world’s leading voice for dignity, equality and safety at work.”

The Unique Tripartite Structure

A distinctive characteristic that gives the ILO its authority and strength is its unique structure. The Organization brings together governments, employers and workers—its tripartite constituents—to shape policies and standards.

“The ILO spans all global regions — from Africa (with 54 member states under its African office) to Asia & the Pacific, Arab States, Europe & Central Asia and the Americas — uniting 187 countries in the mission for decent work.”

This tripartite model is fundamental to consensus-building in the world of work. For instance, the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration) is the only international instrument addressed to enterprises that has been agreed upon by governments, employers', and workers’ organizations.

Key Actions and Standard-Setting Role

The ILO establishes standards through international instruments, such as Conventions (binding treaties for ratifying members) and Recommendations (non-binding guidance). Through these standards, the ILO addresses global challenges in the labor market.

“An ILO Convention becomes legally binding only on those member states that ratify it — and once ratified, they are obligated under international law to implement and uphold its provisions.”

Some examples of the ILO's crucial areas of action include:

• Combating Forced Labour: The ILO estimates that 21 million people are currently victims of forced labour worldwide. The ILO helps combat this "abhorrent practice", which is universally condemned as a violation of human rights and international labour standards. The vast majority of ILO member States have ratified Conventions 29 and 105 on forced or compulsory labour. To combat this crime, the ILO launched the Global Alliance against Forced Labour in 2005 and runs the Special Action Programme to Combat Forced Labour (SAP-FL).

• Promoting Decent Work and Dignity: The organization continuously updates and expands its international labour law. The adoption of the Convention on Violence and Harassment (C190) and its accompanying Recommendation (R206) in 2019, during the Organization’s Centenary session, reaffirmed its standard-setting role and included a clear commitment to end violence and harassment in the world of work. This established the right of everyone to a world of work free from violence and harassment in international law.

The ILO’s binding international treaties and complementary non-binding guidance instruments provide authoritative blueprints for addressing major issues in the world of work, allowing employers, workers, and governments to align their practices with the highest global consensus.

The Relationship Between Companies in a Member State and the ILO

The relationship between companies, often represented by employers' organizations within a member state, and the International Labour Organization (ILO) is fundamental and multi-faceted, stemming primarily from the ILO’s unique structure and its global standard-setting role.

Involvement through the Tripartite Structure

The most distinctive aspect of the ILO is its unique tripartite structure, which gives it authority and strength. This structure requires the organization to bring together three distinct constituent groups to shape policies and standards: governments, employers, and workers.

• This model is fundamental to consensus-building in the world of work.

• The ILO's crucial role is directed toward governments, workers, and employers worldwide.

Direct Engagement and Specific Instruments

The ILO creates instruments—both binding treaties (Conventions) and non-binding guidance (Recommendations)—that provide authoritative blueprints for addressing major issues in the world of work.

• The ILO’s commitment to companies is formalized in the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration).

• The MNE Declaration is significant because it is the only international instrument addressed to enterprises that has been agreed upon by governments, employers', and workers’ organizations.

Aligning Practices with Global Standards

The ILO’s standard-setting function allows employers to align their practices with the highest global consensus. Companies within member states are guided by standards rooted in the ILO’s core mission to drive a human-centred approach to the future of work.

This alignment relates to four principal areas:

• employment creation,

• rights at work,

• social protection, and

• social dialogue.

Companies are expected to adhere to international labour standards that protect human dignity, a principle that has been intrinsic to the ILO’s work since its inception.

For instance, the ILO actively works to combat the "abhorrent practice" of forced labour. Furthermore, the organization establishes standards that commit companies and employers to end violence and harassment in the world of work, establishing the right of everyone to a workplace free from such issues in international law.

In essence, the ILO acts like a global building code authority for the world of work, where the companies (builders/employers) are not just required to follow the code set by governments, but are actively involved in writing the code itself through their representatives.

Why does it matter?

The International Labour Organization has spent more than a century shaping the foundations of decent work. With the adoption of ILO Convention 190 and Recommendation 206, the global community has made it clear: violence and harassment are incompatible with the dignity of work.

These instruments do more than set standards.

They create a pathway for employers to build workplaces where safety, respect, and fairness are non-negotiable — and where the wellbeing of workers is seen as core to organisational performance.

C190 recognises every worker’s right to a world of work free from violence and harassment.

R206 provides the practical roadmap: prevention, protection, training, monitoring, remedies, and accountability.

Together, they call for action — not awareness alone.

What are Employers to do?

Employers have a legal, ethical, and governance responsibility to ensure full alignment with ILO Convention 190 and Recommendation 206.

This includes assessing harassment risks, implementing preventive measures, strengthening reporting systems, supporting survivors, and monitoring progress over time.

Compliance is not passive.

It requires measurable action, transparent processes, and evidence-based decision-making.

Organisations that take this seriously:

✔ reduce harm

✔ strengthen governance

✔ protect vulnerable groups

✔ build trust and

✔ demonstrate leadership in a moment where it matters most.

In a world where workplace toxicity directly impacts wellbeing, performance and even national priorities such as GBV, employers cannot afford to rely on assumptions.

They need visibility. They need data. They need systems that work.

Learn more on how to comply

If your organisation is ready to align with C190 and R206, protect employees, and lead in a time of national urgency, the Resilient Workplace Institute can support you with:

* A digital Harassment Risk Assessment aligned with C190

* Benchmarking across industries

* Support on prevention, training, and monitoring

* Insights that surface hidden risks and guide meaningful action

Creating safer workplaces is not just a regulatory expectation — it’s a leadership imperative.