New hiring and firing code to improve working conditions in Africa
Employers and labour unions in Africa are readying to vote on a new hiring and firing code in a proposal spearheaded by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).
The proposal titled 'Topic Standard Project for Human Rights' requires employers and labour unions to provide detailed reports on their employment practices, including how they hire and pay workers, as well as other welfare concerns such as leave days.
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) -an organisation dedicated to establishing guidelines for businesses on reporting their decisions that affect society at large- has further announced its commitment to voluntarily align with the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) already existing labour rights policy, specifically the 'Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy' from 2017.
This initiative aims to encourage corporations to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) globally, with the target year set for 2030.
It is also expected that organisations will enhance their methods for setting salary frameworks, strive for equal representation across genders, and improve hiring practices. Employers are given a deadline of October 4 to make these decisions.
According to Emily Sims, Senior Specialist at ILO “This alignment contributes to business transparency concerning labour-related impacts, actions and performance; and helps companies to strengthen their contribution to SDG 8 on decent work and inclusive economic growth.”
The International Labour Organisation's World Employment and Social Outlook report in May 2024 indicates that women still face disparities in the workplace regarding access to opportunities and wage equality, often as a result of familial and caregiving duties.
"Gender disparities are evident in workforce participation, where women often face challenges in accessing equal opportunities in securing employment. Recent economic literature (Klaven, Landais and Leite-Mariante 2024; Kleven, Landais and Søgaard 2019) highlights that family responsibilities (i.e. marriage and parenthood) have a greater negative impact on women’s employment compared to men, exacerbating gender employment gaps," reads the report.
