The 109th (2021) International Labour Conference (ILC) first part took place from 3-19 June 2021. A second part will follow, from 25 November to 11 December 2021.

The Committee on Covid-19 response discussed the impact of the pandemic on the world of work and unfolded the action to be taken (I.) by the International Labour Organization (ILO) constituents (governments, workers’ and employers’ organisations), as well as (II.) by the ILO itself, in order to boost the “human-centred recovery”.

In its introductory paragraphs it recognised that, “in addition to the tragic loss of life and damage to human health and communities, the pandemic has had devastating impacts on the world of work. It has led to increased unemployment, underemployment and inactivity; losses in labour and business income, especially in the most impacted sectors; enterprise closures and bankruptcies, particularly for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises; supply chain disruptions; informality and insecurity of work and income; new challenges to health, safety and rights at work; and exacerbated poverty and economic and social inequality”.

Concerning the “Urgent action to advance a human-centred recovery that is inclusive, sustainable and resilient” outlined in Chapter I. of the Resolution, the ILO constituents committed to “working individually and collectively and with the support of the ILO for a human-centred recovery from the COVID-19 crisis through the focused and accelerated implementation of the ILO Centenary Declaration, thereby advancing progress towards an inclusive, sustainable and resilient development with decent work for all”. With this aim, the constituents committed to:

• Enhanced international and regional cooperation, global solidarity and policy coherence across the economic, social, environmental, humanitarian and health domains, and to
• placing the aim of full, productive and freely chosen employment and decent work, the needs of the most vulnerable and hardest hit by the pandemic, and support for sustainable enterprises, jobs and incomes [...]”.

On this basis, the constituents decided to further work on:

• Inclusive economic growth and employment;
• Protection of all workers;
• Universal social protection; and
• Social dialogue.

For the Chapter II. on ILO leadership and support of a human-centred recovery that is inclusive, sustainable and resilient, ILO Constituents decided that the ILO, through focused and accelerated implementation of the ILO Centenary Declaration, “will strengthen its support of Member States’ recovery efforts and leverage the support of other multilateral organizations and international institutions while contributing actively to the efforts of the United Nations system to expedite delivery of the 2030 Agenda. In order to help governments and employers’ and workers’ organizations [...], the ILO will strengthen its support of Member States’ efforts to:

1. create inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and social development, increasing support for the development of policies and approaches that:
   1. generate employment-intensive investment;
   2. strengthen active labour market policies;
   3. promote an enabling environment for entrepreneurship and sustainable enterprises;
   4. boost productivity through diversification and innovation;
   5. harness the fullest potential of technological progress and digitalization, including platform work, to create decent jobs and sustainable enterprises, enable broad social participation in its benefits and address its risks and challenges, including by reducing the digital divide between people and countries;
   6. promote skills development opportunities [...]
   7. [...]”.

[...]”

This negotiated Resolution is a good achievement for employers as it highlights the importance of:

• the role of the private sector for broad-based, job-rich recovery with decent work opportunities for all;
• an enabling environment for innovation, productivity growth and sustainable enterprises, including micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and for entrepreneurship;
• boosting productivity through diversification and innovation;
• promoting skills development opportunities that are responsive to labour market needs;
• prioritization and mainstreaming of strategies to address informality;
• the crucial importance of strengthening the capacity of employers’ and workers’ organizations so they can effectively engage in national recovery strategies and to support their members in the recovery.

Importantly, it derives from this Resolution that skills, productivity growth and strategies to address informality are priorities for the ILO’s action in the coming future.