Saitex International Đồng Nai Co's workers in its factory in Đồng Nai. The company has been part of Better Work Việt Nam since 2010. — Photo dost-dongnai.gov.vn
Swiss Federal Councillor, Guy Parmelin, Head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research, led the delegation. “We were thrilled to show our Swiss visitors improvements made to protect workers and boost production,” said Paula Albertson, Better Work Việt Nam Programme Manager. “Better Work demonstrates that compliance and social dialogue are good for business. This Swiss visit shows that compliance with international labour standards is demanded in the global economy.” Better Work Việt Nam is a flagship programme of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Finance Corporation to improve working conditions and boost competitiveness of the garment industry. The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) of Switzerland is one of its main donors. Since 2010, Saitex International Đồng Nai Company has been part of Better Work Việt Nam. The factory produces jeans and employs more than 4,000 employees. The factory shared with the Swiss delegation factory improvements in efficiency, quality and working conditions made during their time collaborating with Better Work. Better Work has been operating in Việt Nam since 2009 providing compliance assessment, advisory factory visits and training services to deliver clear and continuous improvement at factories. The programme now covers 359 factories employing over 572,000 workers in the north and south.
Also on his visit to Việt Nam on Thursday, the Swiss Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research and the Department for Economic Zones Management under the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) signed a cooperation deal on eco-industrial park (EIP) development in Việt Nam. — VNS
