Example in Action: Danone and the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF) Sign IFA to Tackle Precarious Employment

“Precarious employment” refers to employment situations that are short- or fixed-term and, in many cases, subcontracted. In this example, explore how Danone and IUF used an IFA to reduce precarious employment.

“Precarious employment” refers to employment situations that are short- or fixed-term and, in many cases, subcontracted. Such employment situations are often less secure and lower paying than permanent positions, with greater vulnerability to abuse and exploitation. The tenth IFA between Danone and IUF, signed March 16, 2015, applies to all of Danone’s subsidiaries around the world. Per the agreement, Danone and IUF agreed to reduce precarious employment through “clear definitions, processes, and methodology.” To this end, the IFA limits the use of temporary employment to specific situations, including “access to a new market, economic crisis, seasonal activity, specific competencies needed, or the acquisition of the company.” By spelling out these specific conditions, Danone and IUF agreed “to the promotion of permanent, direct employment as an essential foundation for a sustainable business anchored in respect for human rights with an engaged, qualified workforce and a healthy labor relations environment.”

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