Clarkslegal representing UK employers at the International Labour Conference

I am writing this from Geneva, where I once again have the honour of attending the International Labour Organisation’s International Labour Conference (this time the 113th Session). Working alongside incredible colleagues at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), we are together here to represent UK employers on this important global platform.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO), a specialised agency of the United Nations, works to promote social and economic justice through the development of international labour standards. The International Labour Conference is the ILO’s largest and most prominent annual event; a unique gathering that brings together representatives of governments, employers, and workers from each of the ILO’s 187 member states. Together, we debate and negotiate on some of the most urgent and complex issues affecting the world of work today.

A core function of the Conference is to develop and adopt international labour standards. These standards aim to improve working conditions and protections for workers while also supporting the needs of employers by promoting legal clarity, fair competition, and stable industrial relations. For businesses, clear and consistent standards can create a level playing field across markets, reduce regulatory uncertainty, and foster environments where enterprises, particularly responsible and sustainable ones, can grow and innovate. Many of the workplace rights and practices we now consider essential, such as maternity leave, minimum wage frameworks, and limits on working hours, were first shaped and agreed through these very discussions.

Each year, the Conference highlights a specific set of priority themes relating to current and future challenges in the world of work. This year, the Conference agenda is centred on decent work in the platform economy, promoting transitions towards formality, and protection against biological hazards in the working environment. These themes reflect both long-standing commitments and emerging realities, particularly in light of technological transformation and economic shifts across the globe.

My principal involvement this year has been with the Standard-Setting Committee on Decent Work in the Platform Economy, one of the most widely anticipated and closely followed committees of the Conference.

Platform work refers to tasks or services that are mediated through digital platforms – think food delivery apps, ride-hailing services, online freelance marketplaces, and similar models that match workers with businesses via a digital platform. This form of work has grown rapidly over the past decade and now represents a significant and expanding segment of the global labour market.

It is a topic of immense relevance. Platform work can offer flexibility, innovation, and income-generation opportunities, especially for those who may otherwise face barriers to traditional employment. However, it also raises fundamental questions about protections and responsibilities. As more people earn their livelihoods via these platforms, we must ask: what does decent work look like in this context? How do we ensure that innovation is accompanied by fairness, inclusion, and social protection?

These are precisely the questions our Committee is tasked with exploring. The standard-setting process is still in its early stages, and this year marks the first discussion in what is expected to be a two-year process, known within the ILO framework as a “double discussion”.

The aim is to develop a new international labour standard or standards that can guide governments and social partners on how to ensure decent work in the platform economy.

The Employer Group is keen to ensure that any new standard is fit for purpose – one that recognises the diversity of business models and contractual relationships across the platform economy, avoids unintended consequences, and supports sustainable enterprises alongside worker protections. We are advocating for a forward-looking and balanced framework.

It is also important to remember that national contexts vary significantly, both in terms of the scale and type of platform work and the existing regulatory frameworks. Therefore, any standard must allow space for national variations and avoid a one-size-fits-all model.

The discussions so far have been robust and fascinating. They reflect both the challenges and the possibilities inherent in shaping the future of work. As new ways of working continue to evolve, the ILO, and the tripartite approach it represents, has a vital role to play in building consensus and developing shared solutions. Navigating such a complex and often polarised debate isn’t easy, but it is precisely this diversity of perspectives that makes the process so meaningful, and I am honoured to be contributing on behalf of Clarkslegal LLP to this important global conversation!

More to follow as the debates continue and this critical process unfolds….

Clarkslegal has been representing the UK Employer Delegation, led by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), at the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on an annual basis for nearly 2 decades. Our goal is to continuously ensure that we understand the international context and how the ILO is developing the agenda regarding conventions to which countries have signed up, as well as how they comply with these conventions.

If you have any questions regarding ILO or about the platform economy, please feel free to contact our employment team, who will be happy to assist.