News
Global

IOM, Foreign Trade Association Sign Agreement on Protecting Migrant Workers

Belgium — The UN Migration Agency (IOM) and the Foreign Trade Association (FTA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to boost cooperation in promoting ethical recruitment, protecting migrant workers and combatting human trafficking in global labour supply chains.

“IOM recognizes the critical role that private sector employers and brands play in migration management and safeguarding the rights of migrant workers,” said Eugenio Ambrosi, IOM Regional Director for the EU, Norway and Switzerland, at an MOU signing event in Brussels today.

“We believe this new partnership between IOM and FTA will bolster joint efforts to improve conditions for migrant workers and provide strong public-private leadership in promoting sustainable supply chains,” he added.

FTA represents nearly 2,000 retailers, importers and brands and works to advance their international trade in conjunction with corporate responsibility. In doing so, FTA helps member companies develop systems and supply chains that respect workers, the environment, human rights and core labour standards.

IOM began working with FTA last year, in support of its work to reduce forced labour and human trafficking in South East Asian food and fisheries supply chains. Cooperation continued in the form of joint training sessions for FTA member companies on issues including labour rights, supply chain monitoring and responsible recruitment practices.

The new MOU provides a framework for further collaboration to protect migrant workers. This includes the enhanced use of IOM’s International Recruitment Integrity System, IRIS, which helps job seekers find ethical recruiters, certifies recruiters committed to ethical standards and helps employers assess the recruiters they use and improve transparency in the hiring process. It also includes support for FTA’s Business Social Compliance Initiative, training for employers and employees on trafficking and modern slavery issues, pre- and/or post-orientation training for labour migrants and support to companies to improve recruitment and map supply chains.

For further information, please contact Melissa Winkler at IOM HQ, Tel: +41 79 766 8230, Email: mwinkler@iom.int