ADVANCING LIVING WAGE IN AFRICA

Date: Wednesday, 3 December 2024

Time: 9.00 am - 10.00 am (GMT) / 12 pm - 1 pm (EAT)

Format: Webinar

Registration: Register Here.

In 2023, the UN Global Compact initiated the Forward Faster initiative, calling businesses to publicly commit to ambitious goals across several key areas aligned with the SDGs, including living wage. Companies that sign on to the living wage targets commit to:

Target 1: 100 percent of employees across the organization earn a living wage by 2030.

Target 2: Establish a joint action plan(s) with contractors, supply chain partners and other key stakeholders to work towards achieving living wages and/or living incomes with measurable and time-bound milestones.

Over 80 African businesses have signed to one or both targets. This demonstrates a proactive approach by African companies to integrate living wages into their operational models.

The UN Global Compact assists companies in implementing living wage practices within their operations and global supply chains. It monitors progress and reports outcomes. This collaborative effort underscores the growing recognition of the business rationale for living wages and the responsibility to advance SDG 8.

This webinar aims to build an understanding of the concept and operationalization of living wage in the African region. The webinar will bring together different stakeholders, including representatives from companies, Governments, employer organizations, and other organizations actively working on living wage, to explore how to advance the living wage agenda at the regional level. The objective of holding this discussion at the regional level is to help convince more companies across Africa to engage in the living wage discussion as an essential aspect of decent work and economic growth, sign up to the Forward Faster living wage targets, and send a signal to policymakers to adopt living wage policies.

Webinar Goals 

1. Share insights and best practices for advancing the living wage agenda in Africa.
2. Discuss the implications of living wage commitments for businesses and workers.
3. Engage stakeholders and UN Global Compact staff in meaningful dialogue about taking action and overcoming barriers to implementing living wages.

Expected Outcomes 

• Increased awareness of the importance of living wages for sustainable economic development in Africa.
• Strengthened commitments from businesses to the Forward Faster living wage targets.
• A collaborative platform for sharing strategies and solutions to paying living wages across African countries.

Audience

Africa Participants of the Global Compact.

Agenda (GMT)

• 9:00 - 9:05 am: Welcome and Introduction 
• Mohammed Mwamadzi     ngo, Consultant Labour Africa, United Nations Global Compact
• 9:05 – 9:10 am: Keynote Address - The Importance of Living Wages in Africa 
• Herve Lado, Head, Africa Hub, United Nations Global Compact, Abuja.
• 9.10 - 9:20 am : Presentation of the Forward Faster Living Wage Targets 
• Griet Cattaert, Head of Labour Rights, United Nations Global Compact, New York  
• 9.20 – 9.40 am: Panel Discussion: Adopting and Implementing Living Wage Commitments-the Business Case
• Moderated discussion with industry leaders and stakeholder representatives (Moderator-Mohammed Mwamadzingo, Consultant Labour Africa, United Nations Global Compact)
• 9.40 – 9.55 am: Q&A Session
• Open floor for participants to ask questions and share insights.
• 9:55 - 10:00 am: Key takeaways and next steps.