Representatives from Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, Peru, Tanzania, and Uganda gathered in Minas Gerais, Brazil, from 2 to 7 November 2025 to exchange experiences and develop practical strategies for strengthening Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work in the global coffee supply chain. The event, organized by the International Labour Organization through its Vision Zero Fund with support from the European Union and ITC ILO, focused particularly on improving occupational safety and health. Tripartite delegations of governments, employers, and workers engaged in discussions aimed at enhancing social dialogue and advancing respect for labour rights across coffee-producing countries.
Participants took part in panels, design sprints, and field visits to examine persistent challenges in coffee production, including informality, unsafe working environments, and weak enforcement of labour standards. They explored how occupational safety and health can serve as an effective entry point for addressing broader rights concerns such as freedom of association, child labour, forced labour, and non-discrimination. Delegates worked collaboratively to identify systemic barriers and design prototype action plans to pilot after returning home, with ongoing technical support from the ILO.
Field visits to farms and cooperatives in Três Pontas allowed participants to observe real-world working conditions and occupational safety practices. These insights informed the development of action plans to better reflect on-the-ground realities. Delegates also attended International Coffee Week in Belo Horizonte, where the ILO hosted a global dialogue on promoting fundamental labour rights in the coffee supply chain, featuring contributions from government and industry stakeholders who shared good practices and highlighted the role of social dialogue in strengthening workplace safety.
Throughout the week, discussions emphasized that tripartism and collective action are essential to achieving lasting improvements in labour rights and safety. A dynamic fishbowl dialogue explored examples of successful cooperation from Brazil and Colombia. By the end of the event, each country delegation presented its action plan and committed to piloting concrete measures to improve conditions in the coffee sector. Speakers reaffirmed that meaningful progress is possible only when governments, employers, and workers move forward together.
Coffee provides livelihoods for more than 20 million families worldwide, yet many workers continue to face informal and unsafe working environments. Through this South–South Cooperation initiative, the ILO is helping countries strengthen national systems, promote decent work, and ensure that coffee production upholds safety and fairness. The organization will continue supporting participating countries as they implement and monitor their pilot initiatives, share lessons learned, and build momentum toward safer and more equitable workplaces across the global coffee supply chain.
