Improving Workers’ Occupational Safety and Health in Selected Supply Chains in Mexico – A Vision Zero Fund
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Part of the broader Vision Zero Fund - which aims to promote worker safety and health in global supply chains – this project aims to improve the occupational safety and health of workers in selected supply chains with a focus on COVID-19, female workers, and workers in vulnerable conditions. This project also helps Mexico meet its labor obligations under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
The Problem
According to the Mexican government, more than 500,000 workers in Mexico suffer accidents in their workplace annually; many of them work in agriculture and manufacturing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 3.3 million Mexicans have been infected with the virus and more than 259,000 have died. The pandemic has particularly affected low-wage and informal workers.
While the government has made progress in improving Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) conditions, Mexico still faces challenges in harmonizing OSH regulations; identifying and addressing sector-specific OSH risks; including gender and vulnerable workers’ considerations in OSH policies; and promoting an OSH prevention culture in the workplace, led by employers and workers. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these challenges as female and other vulnerable workers face higher risks of falling into poverty and struggling to regain their livelihoods. As a result of the pandemic, it is estimated that the Mexican economy could contract up to 12 percent in 2021.
Our Strategy
Through a participatory approach, the project will work with the Mexican government, the private sector, workers' organizations, and other actors to improve OSH conditions in the chili pepper and tomato supply chains. The project will focus particularly on female workers and workers in vulnerable conditions, including these groups in the design and implementation of project activities.
The project aims to improve COVID-19 prevention and mitigation measures and increase adherence to OSH laws and policies. In collaboration with the government, the project will provide support to promote the development of industry-wide, sector-based response plans by integrating OSH measures into COVID-19 policy.
The project will also improve the government’s and private sector’s understanding of the drivers and constraints for OSH improvements in the targeted supply chains. It will also help to improve legal and policy frameworks for OSH prevention, protection, and compensation.
Results
(as of March 2021)
This project is currently in its start-up phase, where it is conducting meetings, carrying out studies, and laying the foundation for future success. Please check back later for results further into the project’s implementation.
International Labor Organization (ILO)
