ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder, and L’Oreal CEO, Jean-Paul Agon, met at the former’s Geneva headquarters to finalise the collaboration, which builds on the cosmetics maker’s own Share & Care programme.
"Providing our employees worldwide with the best social protection is one of L'Oréal's strategic ambitions. This is the aim of our Share & Care programme launched two years ago and rolled out in all our subsidiaries by the end 2015,” says Agon.
"We have worked in close collaboration with the ILO to share our practices and we are delighted to see that our partnership has now led to the creation of this global network of businesses dedicated to developing social protection. Together we are a driver for innovative solutions to accomplish this goal."
By the end of 2015, L’Oreal claims its programme will provide its employees in 68 subsidiaries the best social benefits in four areas: health, welfare, parenthood and quality of life at work.
This worldwide social project will also become a social-innovation laboratory within the group's different subsidiaries.
ILO protection campaign
According to the ILO, nearly 73% of the world's population lack access to adequate social protection coverage.
Several companies have implemented their own social protection systems, such as the L’Oreal example mentioned above; and in line with these initiatives, the ILO is bringing together more than 10 major multinational companies in support of expanding social protection worldwide in this campaign.
"It is primarily the responsibility of the states to ensure the existence of adequate social protection for society and to plan, organize and finance the necessary protections,” saysGuy Ryder, ILO Director-General.
“However, companies could contribute significantly to establish social protection floors adapted to each country in accordance with the conventions and the recommendations of the ILO.”