Respect des droits de l'homme et de l'environnement

Respect for Human Rights and the Environment: Internal Diagnosis and Remediation Measures

Summary

From 2025 to the end of 2027, 11 cooperatives will be coached by the TDC in sustainability and decent work. The coaching, personalized and participatory, lasts three years.

The supported cooperatives will first conduct an internal diagnosis related to the main risks and issues in gender equality, human rights, and environmental respect to identify key areas to work on for each theme.

Coaching Modules

The following elements will be addressed (non-exhaustive and prioritized based on needs):

Identification and detailed evaluation of at least three major challenges for the cooperatives (through observations, farm visits, surveys, and group or individual interviews).
Assigning responsibility for developing and implementing due diligence steps to management members, committees, and relevant staff.
Identifying the groups most affected by the major issues to address them effectively and efficiently.
Establishing a grievance mechanism to receive and handle complaints from members, farmers and their families, agricultural workers, local community members, and other groups.
Implementing policies, procedures, and annual action plans for each identified issue and risk.
Monitoring: tracking indicators, data collection methods, and data analysis methods.
Remediation measures in case of identified problems or materialized risks: ending the violation, supporting the affected individuals, taking measures to prevent recurrence, and possibly applying disciplinary measures against the violators.

Specific Tools

Using tools for data collection, recording, and management (on producers, their plots) and reporting tools in line with EUDR requirements:
- Geolocation of plots (GPS point or polygon if plot >4 ha).
- Traceability system (tracking cocoa, coffee, etc., from the plot to the port, ensuring lot segregation).
Calculating the gap between the household incomes of cooperative members and the living income.
Defining an action plan to partially reduce this gap: diversifying activities, promoting financial inclusion of members (creating savings groups), etc.
Promoting gender certifications (gender equality seal, gender equity measure) and 2X Challenge criteria for women's entrepreneurship.
Adopting voluntary standards and sustainable certifications to mitigate sustainability risks and manage standards, processes, and risks at the cost-benefit level.
Inclusion of women's entrepreneurship.
Communicating with members, buyers, and other partners about the cooperative's commitment to human rights and sustainability (possibly signed); for cooperative members, names and titles of those responsible for developing, implementing, and supervising due diligence measures; annual action plan to prevent, mitigate, stop, and remedy identified issues.

Supporting OSEs to Maximize Impact

Supporting OSEs, which in turn support cooperatives, multiplies the impact of TDC's work. Between 5 and 7 OSEs will also be coached to improve their support to businesses in sustainability and decent work.

Stakeholders Involved

HR Department
Informal Leaders
Organizations (NGOs, cooperatives)
Government Institutions
(Very) Small Enterprises
Medium Enterprises
National and Regional Governments
Sectoral Organizations
Trade Unions
Vocational Training Centers
Universities
Labor Council
Youth and Women's Organizations

Elements Related to the 8 Principles of Decent Work

Job Security: Stability and security of employment (contract, dismissal, job loss/retention).
Labor Market Security: Unemployment, irregular work, underemployment, professional development, job mobility, education, and vocational training.
Income Security: Decent income, regular income.
Social Protection: Health insurance/sick leave, work accidents, retirement, maternity.
Work-Life Balance: Balancing work, family, and private life, work hours, work autonomy, job satisfaction.
Fair Treatment: Workplace discrimination, violence, child labor, forced labor, fair remuneration, gender-based violence.
Occupational Safety and Health: Protective equipment, training/awareness, risks (ergonomic, biochemical, etc.), health impact.
Voice and Representation: Worker participation, worker representation, worker freedom, worker rights, complaints, inspections.

Target Groups

Entrepreneurs
Graduates
Employers
Students
Women
(Informal) Workers
Youth

Enabel's Scope of Action

Better enforcement of labor and social security laws
Education & training
Employment services
Extending access to vulnerable workers
Facilitating dialogue and coordination of national and regional decent work policies
Gender
Raising awareness of workers' rights
Job creation
Living wage and income
Measuring progress towards decent work
Promoting dialogue among tripartite actors
Strengthening regulatory and legislative frameworks and mechanisms for implementing decent work