As the US employer representative to the International Labour Organization (ILO), USCIB has been appointed as the US industry voice on the newly established Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) Labor Rights Advisory Board (LRAB). USCIB’s Director of Corporate Responsibility and Labor Affairs Ewa Staworzynska will serve on the LRAB, on behalf of USCIB.
Established under the IPEF Supply Chain Agreement, the LRAB brings together select worker groups, employer groups, and governments to promote labor rights across the supply chains of the 14 IPEF member countries (Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and United States). As part of its work, it will publish annual sectoral reports and work on initiatives such as creating best practice guides and sharing business advisories.
Another labor aspect, the Supply Chain Agreement establishes a reporting mechanism for allegations of facility-specific labor rights inconsistencies. This follows precedent set by the Rapid Response Mechanism, under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), but details are yet to be developed.
IPEF was launched by the Biden Administration to develop deeper economic and geostrategic partnerships between the US and the Asia-Pacific. Agreements were reached in three of its four institutional pillars: Supply Chains; Clean Economy; and Fair Economy. Negotiations on a Fair-Trade pillar was more difficult and have been suspended.
