Belgium-Equality and Non-Discrimination

Action point 19

Promote good practices of SMEs that adopt responsible supply chain management, notably through the “CSR Compass” tool (Page 54)

Promouvoir les bonnes pratiques des PME qui adoptent une gestion de la chaine d’approvisionnement responsable, notamment grâce à l’outil « CSR Compass »

One of the most relevant instruments developed by the European Commission on supply chain management is the portal, which is part of the European Alliance for CSR. Founded by the Commission and leading companies in Europe in 2006, the Alliance brings together 260 companies. This free-to-use platform offers, among other things, information on the topic itself, a set of best practices, codes of conduct, and international frameworks. By highlighting child labour and forced labour as key issues, the portal also addresses human rights. Other major topics include corruption, discrimination, freedom of association, collective agreements, health and safety, compensation, and working hours.

Walloon Governmental Action:

The action will consist of promoting the tools available to companies, including the CSR Compass. Concretely, this will involve setting up exchange workshops between companies from the same sector and creating a practical guide for SMEs wishing to improve the ethics of their supply chain. Some companies may also engage in “strategic partnerships” with NGOs and publicly-recognized foundations on specific projects. Indeed, companies will make available, free of charge, to an NGO certain voluntary employees whose technical skills will contribute to its mission. The European Multi-Stakeholder Forum echoed these practices, stressing that NGOs are a key to success in the South in implementing socially responsible practices by multinational firms and their suppliers via partnerships.

Action point 25

Give special attention to the ratification, support, and promotion of a series of ILO conventions relating to the rights of women (Page 62)

Accorder une attention particulière à la ratification, au soutien et à la promotion d’une série de conventions de l’OIT ayant trait aux droits de la femme

Federal Government Action:

The rights of women have not been specifically anchored in the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

The Belgian government wishes to grant them a privileged place in its action within the framework of the National Action Plan for Human Rights and Business, and this, acting on several tracks in parallel:

• Ratification of conventions of the ILO in this domain

◊ C156 – Convention on Workers with Family Responsibilities;

◊ C189 – Convention on Domestic Workers;

• Ratification of the Convention 175 on part-time work. The standards on part-time work have bcome instruments increasingly important to address issues such as the pursuit of equality between men and women;
• Emphasis on the rights of women in awareness-raising carried out by the network of Belgian diplomacy;
• Systematic reference in international forums and bilaterally to ratification by the countries concerned of the Equality Pay Convention No. 100 and ILO Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention no. 111