The ASEAN CSR Network supports the ILO's World Day for Safety and Health at Work on 28 April 2018, and the International Workers' Day (or International Labour Day) on 1 May 2018.

Started by the ILO in 2003, the World Day for Safety and Health at Work is an annual campaign to promote safe, healthy and decent work around the globe. This year, the World Day for Safety and Health at Work and the World Day Against Child Labour are coming together in a joint campaign to improve the safety and health of young workers and end child labour.

The campaign also addressed UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 8.8, which calls for safe and secure working environments for all workers by 2030, and SDG target 8.7, which calls the end of all forms of child labour by 2025.

Meanwhile, Labour Day is celebrated all over the world every 1st day of May of each year. The theme of 2018 is "Uniting Workers for Social and Economic Advancement," which highlights the importance of peace and social cohesion in work environment for the enhancement of productivity.

ILO reports that the 541 million young workers (15-24 years old) - which includes 37 million children in hazardous child labour - account for more than 15 per cent of the world’s labour force and suffer up to a 40 per cent higher rate of non-fatal occupational injuries than adult workers older than 25.

We at ACN firmly believe that ensuring the rights of workers, which includes safety at work, is important in building responsible businesses. Only when the welfare and safety are ensured can labour rights be respected in the workplace. 

In line with this, ACN supports that Manila Tripartite Joint Statement towards  Strengthening  Social Partnership  in  an Integrating  ASEAN. This embodies the  tripartite delegates' collective commitment to give all-out  support to  the  efforts  of  the  ASEAN  and  its  social  partners  in  building a  sound  and  stable  industrial  relations system in each ASEAN Member State, and in the ASEAN as a whole.

ACN also continues to uphold the ASEAN CSR Guidelines on Labour as a guide for governments, businesses, employers and workers organisations on adequate labour standards.