Between November and December 2025, the International Labour Organization (ILO), in partnership with the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), organized a series of capacity-building workshops on Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) for enterprises in Pune, Gurugram, and Chennai. The workshops brought together more than 140 Tier-1 and Tier-2 automotive suppliers, industry associations, and business leaders to discuss how responsible business practices can strengthen India’s automotive supply chains in response to evolving global due diligence requirements. The discussions were aligned with India’s National Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct as well as international frameworks such as the ILO MNE Declaration and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, highlighting both the strategic value of RBC and practical ways companies can integrate responsible practices into their operations and supply chains.
The first workshop, held in Pune on 21 November 2025, emphasized the need for companies to view responsible business conduct as an opportunity for growth rather than a regulatory burden. Industry leaders highlighted that global automotive supply chains are increasingly shaped by expectations around sustainability, labour standards, and transparency. The session encouraged suppliers to proactively adopt global RBC standards and strengthen awareness across the sector to ensure that Indian manufacturers remain competitive and resilient in international markets.
The Gurugram workshop on 3 December 2025 focused on the relationship between workforce engagement and business competitiveness. Industry representatives shared experiences demonstrating how integrating worker feedback systems, grievance mechanisms, and digital tools to identify risks in supply chains can help reduce disruptions while improving employee satisfaction and retention. Participants also discussed how embedding responsible business principles into key performance indicators and supplier management programmes—through measures such as wage transparency, skills development, and incentive-based alignment—can improve supplier performance and strengthen long-term partnerships with original equipment manufacturers.
The final workshop, held in Chennai on 12 December 2025, explored the importance of workplace culture, inclusion, and open dialogue in building resilient labour environments. Discussions highlighted how structured engagement initiatives and communication platforms between management and employees can build trust, increase productivity, and encourage safer workplaces. Industry leaders also stressed that integrating responsible business conduct across operations and supply chains has become essential for maintaining competitiveness, particularly as companies seek to create more inclusive workplaces and expand opportunities for women in the automotive sector.
Overall, the workshop series reinforced that strengthening responsible business conduct in India’s automotive sector is vital for protecting workers’ rights, improving supply chain resilience, and maintaining global competitiveness. The initiative was conducted under the ILO project “Building Responsible Value Chains in Asia through the Promotion of Decent Work in Business Operations (Phase II),” funded by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The project aims to promote inclusive, responsible, and sustainable enterprises while supporting decent work across supply chains in several Asian countries, including India.
