Do companies and international financial institutions take responsibility for their transnational activities?
Mondiaal FNV and Asser Institute held a webinar on 16 December 2020 to present the results of Tightening Belts: a Regional Case Study on Corporate Social Responsibility: M4 Motorway in Pakistan.
Fotography: "Motorway Pakistan" by Usman.Ahmed - Creative Commons
This study on the construction of the M4 Motorway in Pakistan shows that labour conditions often fail to meet recognized standards.
Companies and international financial institutions (IFIs) do not take full responsibility for their transnational activities. Labour conditions on the construction of the M4 Motorway in Pakistan often fail to meet recognized standards. Workers are underpaid and do dangerous work without the appropriate safety equipment. Many do not have a proper contract and are hired through informal subcontractors. Inspectors visit construction sites but they never talk to the workers themselves.
The webinar presented the results of the case study commissioned by Mondiaal FNV and conducted by the Leiden Asia Centre and the Asser Institute, as well as the results of a Dutch funded ILO project on the labour inspectorate in Pakistan.
Webinar Speakers:
- Antoine Duval: Senior Researcher at the Asser Institute, where he coordinates the Doing Business Right projects
- Imke van Gardingen: FNV policy advisor on labour migration. She was co-editor and contributor to the research
- Mr Khurran Ghafoor; project officer, Pakistan Resident Mission ADB
- Zishan Siddiqi, National Project Coordinator (former National Project Coordinator, SLISP) and Ingrid Christensen, Director: both ILO Country Office
- Aslam Adil: General Secretary PFBWW, Pakistan affiliate BWI
Watch the full webinar here.
Download the study: Tightening Belts: a Regional Case Study on Corporate Social Responsibility: M4 Motorway in Pakistan
