Implemented by Swisscontact Bangladesh, the Building Youth Employability through Skills (BYETS) project, invited sixteen management officials from eight reputed Agro-processing (AP) industries for a Professional Development Workshop on Workplace Wellbeing: Equality, Rights & Green Responsibility to commemorate the World Day of Decent Work on October 7, 2025. The participating factories included City Edible Oil Industry Limited, Rupshi Foods Limited, IFAD Multi Products Ltd., Shabnam Vegetable Oil Industries Limited, Super Oil Refinery Ltd., Olympic Industries Limited, Akij Bakers Ltd., and Square Food & Beverage Ltd.
The three-day workshop was conducted from October 5 to 7, 2025, and was designed to promote a culture of fairness, safety, and environmental awareness within Bangladesh’s AP sector. The workshop included sessions on Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI), emphasising equal opportunities and inclusive practices for all workers. Another day-long session centred on Environmental Responsibility, encouraging industries to adopt sustainable and climate-conscious practices in daily operations. Consequently, the session on Labour Rights and Decent Work coincided with the global observance of the World Day for Decent Work on 7 October 2025. Discussions covered key aspects, including Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), the prevention of child and forced labour, effective grievance redress mechanisms (GRM), provisions on wages, working hours, and leave, as well as measures to prevent violence and harassment.
Facilitated by B-ADVANCY Certification Limited, the workshop created a platform for senior management from participating industries to share their organisations’ best practices for ensuring workplace wellbeing. The interactive discussions encouraged participants to identify practical areas for improvement, such as establishing effective workers’ participation committees, forming anti-harassment committees, and streamlining grievance redress processes.
The World Day for Decent Work highlights the universal right of all workers to dignity, fair treatment, and safe working conditions. BYETS continues to advance its commitment to promoting decent work and sustainable growth. Through initiatives like this, the project contributes to building safer, inclusive, and environmentally responsible workplaces across Bangladesh’s AP and RMG sector, empowering both workers and industries to thrive together.