IOSH at the Global Coalition for Social Justice Forum

What is the Global Coalition for Social Justice?

The Global Coalition for Social Justice was established by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2023. It was created in response to a growing recognition that progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals requires stronger collaboration across governments, employers, workers, international organisations, businesses, civil society and academia.

The Coalition brings together more than 400 partners from across the world, providing a platform to strengthen multilateral cooperation and accelerate collective action for social justice and decent work. It seeks to translate international commitments into practical action by fostering partnerships, promoting policy coherence, generating knowledge and mobilising resources to tackle some of the world's most pressing social and economic challenges.

Central to the Coalition's mission is the belief that social justice is fundamental to sustainable development, resilient societies and shared prosperity.

Why IOSH joined the Coalition

Invited by the ILO Director General, IOSH formally joined the Global Coalition for Social Justice in January 2024, recognising a unique opportunity to place occupational safety and health (OSH) at the heart of global discussions on social justice, human rights and sustainable development.  

By joining the Coalition, IOSH committed to ensuring that OSH is recognised not only as a workplace issue, but as a fundamental enabler of decent work, social sustainability and human dignity.

IOSH has actively contributed to several Coalition priority areas and key interventions. These contributions include advocacy, knowledge sharing, capacity building, policy engagement and partnership development across themes such as human rights, informal economy transitions, responsible business conduct, social protection, just transition and sustainable investment.

How the Coalition aligns with IOSH’s mission and strategic priorities

The objectives of the Coalition closely align with IOSH's charitable purpose and strategic ambition to create a safer and healthier world of work.

Through our engagement in the Coalition, IOSH is helping to strengthen understanding of how OSH contributes to broader social outcomes, including poverty reduction, equality, economic resilience, human rights protection and sustainable business practices.

This work also delivers value to IOSH members. Participation in the Coalition enables IOSH to:

• influence international policy discussions on social justice and decent work
• elevate the role of OSH within global sustainability and human rights agendas
• create opportunities for collaboration with governments, multilateral organisations, businesses and civil society partners
• share IOSH research, expertise and evidence with a global audience
• strengthen professional recognition of OSH as a critical contributor to sustainable development and responsible business conduct
• support members with insights, partnerships and emerging good practice relating to social sustainability and workforce protection.

By bringing OSH into conversations that extend beyond traditional health and safety communities, IOSH can help shape more integrated responses to the challenges facing workers and workplaces worldwide.

What IOSH will highlight at the Annual Forum

IOSH will highlight that social justice begins with protecting workers and ensuring their right to a safe and healthy working environment. Through our Human cost campaign, IOSH is raising awareness of OSH harms across global supply chains and encouraging action to prevent this and improve worker protection.

We will also showcase our growing body of evidence and advocacy work, including:

• white papers exploring the links between OSH, social sustainability and modern slavery
• research and advocacy focused on vulnerable and often invisible workers.
• an evidence review on OSH in the informal economy conducted in partnership with RAND Europe
• work to strengthen understanding of the relationship between worker protection, responsible business conduct and human rights due diligence.

IOSH will highlight collaborative initiatives with partners including Lloyd's Register Foundation and the Commonwealth Fashion Council, bringing together stakeholders to identify practical solutions that strengthen due diligence, reduce exploitation risks and improve conditions across supply chains.

Importantly, IOSH will use the Forum to invite further collaboration with Coalition partners. We are keen to work with organisations that share our commitment to building capacity, preventing harm, addressing exploitation and ensuring that no worker is left behind.

The value of Coalition membership for IOSH

The Global Coalition for Social Justice provides IOSH with an important platform to amplify the impact of our work and contribute to systemic change at a global scale.

It enables IOSH to connect OSH with broader social, economic and environmental agendas, ensuring that worker protection is recognised as a core component of social justice and sustainable development. It provides opportunities to collaborate with organisations that bring complementary expertise, resources and influence, allowing us to achieve outcomes that would be difficult to deliver alone.

Through Coalition membership, IOSH can more effectively advance its strategic goals by extending the reach of its evidence, influencing international policy debates, developing partnerships that drive practical action, and helping to shape a future of work where every worker can enjoy safe, healthy and dignified working conditions.

Ultimately, the Coalition strengthens IOSH’s ability to turn its vision of a safe and healthy world of work into meaningful action, helping to create fairer, more resilient and more sustainable workplaces and societies across the globe.