Category: Event

Event: Workplace Dialogue and Effective Remedy

SWP is partcipating at the 6th United Nations Responsible Business and Human Rights Forum in Bangkok! 🗓 Date: September 24th⏰ Time: 9:00 AM (CET+5) Collaboration between employees and managers can facilitate the identification of human rights abuses in the workplace and mitigate potential risks. And effective remedies are more likely when there’s trust, open communication and collaboration between […]

Workplace cooperation model of Swedish companies a practical solution for Colombia?

In the framework of 150 years of relations between Sweden and Colombia, our Swedish Workplace Programme and Fundación Ideas para la Paz together with Embassy of Sweden in Colombia hosted a launch event for our joint study: Workplace cooperation – Finding practical solutions for the Colombian context. The study focuses on the impact of SWP’s social dialogue and cooperation […]

Watch the recorded panel discussions about Partnership Driven Workplaces at EXPO 2020

The Swedish Workplace Programme invited business leaders and union representatives to EXPO 2020 to discuss – if the Swedish labour market model can be adapted in different contexts globally. The panelists shared how they apply the model as an approach to contribute to sustainable business and green transition. In the second panel, the SWP team […]

Member companies and IF Metall in the panel at EXPO 2020

We are pleased to announce that we have four participants in our panel at EXPO 2020, 10 December; Martin Lundstedt CEO of AB Volvo, Marie Nilsson the president of the Swedish union IF Metall, Anna-Karin Rosén Managing Director Saab Ltd Abu Dhabi and Maya M. Moukbel, Head of Innovation Ericsson Middle East and Africa. They will discuss workplace cooperation models in a global context. […]

Let’s Meet the Sustainability Impact Accelerator

NIR invited both members and other interested companies to meet the Sustainability Impact Accelerator programme staff and learn more in-depth about the programme and how it contributes to sustainable infrastructure projects in developing countries. EKN Exportkreditnämnden, a member and key stakeholder of the programme, also presented their views of how the SIA programme lowers risk and […]

Let’s Talk about Angola

The International Council of Swedish Industry met up with Ewa Polano, Swedish Ambassador to Angola and Per Akerlind, Deputy CEO and Head of Strategic Partnerships and Relations, SEK to learn more about the third largest market in the African continent. Angola has been an important export market to many Swedish companies for decades. Albeit being a complex […]

Lets Talk about Sustainability in mining

NIR had the pleasure to host another Lets Talk -member event together with McKinsey & Company on the topic Sustainability in Mining. A targeted overview of sustainability trends in global mining and valuable insights on ESG-related risk perspectives of corporate stakeholders in Latin America provided the basis for the exchange.

Lets Talk about Nigeria

Continuing the Let’s Talk- serie, NIR organised another successful member event; “Let’s talk about Nigeria”, the 7th of October. We proudly presented Ambassador Carl Michael Gräns , Embassy of Sweden in Abuja; Ms. Anthonia Adenaya Huard, Head of West Africa, Business Sweden and Ms. Tariye Gbadegesin; Managing Director & CIO, ARM-Harith Infrastructure Investment. All three speakers sharing their views […]

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This executive summary presents the findings from the study “Workplace Cooperation: Finding Practical Solutions in the Colombian Context,” conducted by the Fundación Ideas para la Paz (FIP). The study evaluates the added value of the Swedish Workplace Programme (SWP) dialogue and cooperation model within the Colombian labor market.

Throughout 2022, FIP dedicated efforts to thoroughly understand the SWP model, including its concept, foundations, implementation process, and contributions to the labor market. In 2023, FIP documented the experiences of three companies—SKF Latin Trade, Securitas, and Epiroc—that implemented the SWP model in practice. The study also included face-to-face workshops to gather feedback from various stakeholders including civil society, businesses, government, academia, and international cooperation. The findings suggest that the SWP model has the potential to strengthen labor relations, contribute to decent work, and resolve workplace conflicts in Colombia.

The case studies highlight the importance of collaboration between employers and workers to promote decent work and sustainable development in Colombia. They demonstrate that social dialogue facilitates worker participation in labor decision-making, enhances their representativeness, and promotes cooperation between employers and employees, thus improving labor relations and contributing to the well-being of both employees and companies.

The SWP model is particularly noted for improving workplace relationships and commitment to jointly finding solutions to challenges faced by workers and the company. It empowers workers, enhances leadership, and helps integrate business policies into daily practices, reducing the initial disconnect between management objectives and the day-to-day realities of workers. The study also highlights the model’s capacity to manage conflicts constructively, transforming the perception of conflict as an opportunity for improvement. Structured dialogues deepen understanding of the underlying causes of conflicts, fostering empathy and facilitating effective resolution. This promotes a culture of collaboration and a democratic approach to decision-making, building trust.

Additionally, the model is recognized for enabling workers to make decisions, identify challenges, and propose solutions that impact their well-being, and bridging gender gaps in the workplace. Its inclusive approach adapts to the unique needs and characteristics of each company, promoting a stronger and more diverse organizational culture. It also drives good work performance and productivity by involving workers in problem identification and resolution, as well as in implementing improvements and efficiently identifying ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) risks for companies.

The document identifies the SWP model’s added value in empowering direct interaction among labor stakeholders in Colombia, overcoming historical or cultural reservations, and contributing to the development of stronger labor relations and improved workplace environments in the country.

Challenges and opportunities of the model are also discussed. The study points out the importance of addressing value chain risks, particularly in a global context where corporate clients demand decent work processes and due diligence. It emphasizes the need to integrate SMEs into this process and use anchor companies as drivers of social dialogue throughout the value chain. The role of the state in social dialogue and the importance of highlighting the benefits of the model for adoption across various business sectors are discussed.

The opportunities of the model include raising awareness of human rights in the workplace in line with the United Nations Guiding Principles (UNGP), to strengthen due diligence, manage risks, promote long-term sustainability, and improve organizational culture. The document also underscores the importance of involving workers in change processes, leveraging their insights for continuous improvement of processes, and fostering innovation opportunities. Lastly, it suggests replicating the model in value chains to address work environment risks and gender biases, involving suppliers and contractors, and integrating the model into corporate policies to strengthen existing programs and transform organizational culture towards resource efficiency and effective participation of employers and workers.