Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with 20 to 250 employees are encouraged to avail of a practical training and in-factory coaching program to improve working conditions, boost productivity and grow a successful business.
During the SCORE project meeting, International Labor Organization (ILO) consultant Jeff Kristiano said the ILO’s Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises (SCORE) training supports enterprises to strengthen collaboration and communication between managers and workers in improving working conditions and reducing the environmental footprint.
Kristiano said interventions in supply chains involve improving cooperation, productivity, and working conditions; and creating sustainable problem-solving systems, and improving industrial relations.
He said although public health authorities worldwide are working to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), enterprises need to put in place preventive and mitigation measures against the disease at their workplaces.
“(It is the) responsibility of employers to ensure all practicable preventive and protective measures are taken,” he added. “Contaminated workplace means it can be transmitted to workers. This includes their families, suppliers, buyers, and the public in general.”
After the training, Kristiano said the trainer will visit the factories and conduct follow-up meetings and coaching.
He said SCORE training results in better quality products, productivity improvement ranging from 15 to 50 percent, and higher productivity amid better working conditions.
Operating around the world across various sectors, the program aims at improving the competitiveness of SMEs by stimulating better workplace cooperation between management and labor on issues such as quality; productivity and cleaner production; human resource management; and occupational health and safety (OSH).
Dang Buenaventura-Snyder, senior manager at Employers Confederation of the Philippines’ (ECOP) Occupational Safety and Health Academy, said ECOP and ILO have agreed to deliver this program not just for ECOP members but also for non-members as well.
“What ECOP does (is) we ask companies for a very brief meeting to discuss what SCORE is all about, we also ask for face-to-face interaction. That’s basically the baseline comes in and then the planning stage wherein we invite the companies and its representative,” she said.
“The most important part is to really document the companies’ good practices because at the end of the day, we want to see the impact,” she added.
Source: PHILEXPORT News and Features
August 07, 2023
