About this course
The course focuses on the main forces driving the expansion of global supply chains, their impact on development, and working conditions and workers’ rights . It provides an overview of the gaps in the framework governing these production chains as well as some recent regulatory measures related working conditions and workers’ rights in global supply chains. This approach is combined with an analysis of trade unions strategies at various levels to ensure decent work.
This course was first launched in 2019.
Key concepts
global supply chains, development, multinationals, governance framework, decent work deficits, Human Rights Mandatory Due Diligence, worker rights, labour strategies
Course structure
Chapter I: Introduction to the Course
Chapter II: Global Supply Chains: Main drivers and the impact on development
Chapter III: Working Conditions and Workers’ Rights in Global Supply Chains: Main Decent Work Deficits
Chapter IV: Regulatory Instruments and Approaches to Ensure Workers’ Rights in Global Supply Chains
Chapter V: Labour Strategies for Decent Work in Global Supply Chains
Course materials and workload
This course has 4 content chapters. The chapter contains a series of units; each unit is composed of one video lecture, two quiz questions, a reflection question, a key reading, as well as additional reading materials. All these can be downloaded and used offline. Zoom workshops with the course contributors provide a space to dive deeper into the topic (wherever available, these are located under the video lecture).
The estimated workload for each chapter, including key readings, is around 5-6 hours.
Course contributors
Beate Andrees, Chief, Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work Branch, ILO
Prof. Dr. Mark Anner, Associate Professor of Labor and Employment Relations, and Political Science, Penn State University, USA
Kirill Buketov, Campaign Officer, International Union of Food and Allied Workers - IUF
Sharan Burrow, Secretary-General, International Trade Union Confederation - ITUC
Tandiwe Gross, Associate Fellow, Global Labour University
Dr. Michael Fichter, Senior Lecturer, Global Labour University, Germany
Dr. Frank Hoffer, Executive Director, ACT Foundation
Hilma Mote, Specialist in Workers Activities, ILO/ACTRAV
Prof. Dr. Praveen Jha, Professor for Economics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India
Prof. Dr. Markus Krajewski, University Professor at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
Prof. Dr. Stefanie Lorenzen, Professor of Business Law and Labour Law, Berlin School of Economics and Law, Germany
Catelene Passchier, Chair of the Workers’ Group and Vice Chair of the Governing Body of the ILO