To celebrate the 100th anniversary of its Cooperatives Unit (COOP), the ILO brought together policy makers, researchers and practitioners working with cooperatives and the wider social and solidarity economy (SSE) for a two-day international symposium. The recording of the two days in English, French, and Spanish, the presentations and other related materials are now available. Read more

In the current global context characterized by complex and pressing challenges, the Social and Solidarity Economy is receiving growing attention for its role and potential to re-balance economic and social objectives and foster sustainable development. Because they do not seek profit maximization at the expense of social and environmental concerns, SSE organizations are often financially vulnerable. Find out how the SSE, and innovative financing mechanisms, have the potential for creating and preserving decent jobs, creating wealth, reducing social inequalities and advancing local development, on our latest thematic page. Read more

The ILO has joined United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to co-lead the UN Joint SDG Fund's Investor Advisory Group on People & Health. The group is one of five thematic clusters that are providing advice to applicant UN country teams to transform their proposals into impact-driven programmes. The People & Health group advises projects in the areas of women entrepreneurship, health and community, rural communities' access to health, livelihood improvement, nutrition enhancement and sustainable farming transition. Read more

The Impact Insurance Facility and the Insurance Training College Uganda will organize the training “Complementary health insurance”, with support from FSD Uganda, from December 16 to 18 via Zoom. This training will provide microinsurance practitioners with knowledge and insight about factors applicable to the process of developing and launching simple health microinsurance programs. Read more

The Global Impact Investing Network is collecting comments on the Strategic Goals on Quality Jobs that it developed with the support of the ITCILO and ILO Social Finance. Interested parties can provide comments during a call on December 2, or directly here. Deadline: 8 Jan 2021. Read more

The Responsible Business Conduct in Latin America and the Caribbean Project (RBCLAC), jointly implemented by the ILO, OECD and OHCHR and financed by the EU, has launched its second call for proposals of the RBCLAC Fund to finance initiatives that promote responsible business practices in the region. This call will prioritize initiatives that involve grassroots organizations in their implementation in the eligible countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Mexico). The deadline to submit proposals is the 22nd of December 2020. Read more

ILO Green Jobs Programme joined the Green Growth Knowledge Partnership (GGKP) for a discussion on how governments and business can lead a just transition to greener economies featuring country perspectives from Argentina and South Africa. In 2015, the ILO released a set of Guidelines for a just transition to environmentally sustainable economies and societies for all, providing a policy framework and a practical tool to ensure that responses to climate change advance employment creation, social justice and fair transitions for workers, enterprises and communities. Read more

A steering committee overseeing the development of a national strategy for the cooperative movement in Jordan held its first meeting in November. The committee was formed by the Government of Jordan with ILO support in collaboration with the Jordanian Cooperative Corporation (JCC). The ILO, under the Partnership for improving prospects for forcibly displaced persons and host communities (PROSPECTS), in close collaboration with the ILO's Cooperatives Unit (COOP) is providing technical and financial support in the design and adoption of the Jordan Cooperative Development Strategy. Read more

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a devastating impact on health, jobs, businesses & economies. Yet, cooperatives have been lifting up their communities. Small-scale producers and family farmers were able to improve their access to markets and financing. The ILO COOP Unit Head Simel Esim delivered a message on how cooperatives can contribute to a better future for rural communities during the pre-events at Dubai Expo 2020. Read more

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected the world of work. “A recovery from the COVID-19 crisis must be a green recovery, one that builds a better world for people and planet, ensuring a just transition for all, leaving no one behind,”said ILO Green Jobs Unit Head Moustapha Kamal Gueye at the Pre-Expo Climate Change and Biodiversity Week. Read more

Business Fights Poverty is a global collaboration community of 30,350 professionals from business, government and civil society working together on the world's most pressing challenges. In a podcast interview, Merten Sievers, ILO specialist at Small and Medium Enterprises Unit, introduces the new Building back with better jobs action toolkit. The toolkit aims to stimulate thinking and exchange within companies and external partners about what business models for more decent jobs should look like and how to mainstream these into business practice. Read more