1. Building Capacity for Employers’ Organizations
Jeanne Schmitt, ITCILO

2. Objective To help EOs to better fulfill their role as:
advocates of business conducive policies
providers of services to their members
representative and effective development partners
experts and partners with regards to ILO strategic objectives incl. social dialogue

3. Why?
Sustained economic growth reduces poverty and the private sector drives growth
Creating a conducive enabling environment to facilitate private sector development is key
In this framework, the role of EOs in pursuing an agenda to create wealth, enterprises and jobs is paramount

4. Sectoral Capacity-Building Projects 2007-2010
Metal and Engineering
Chemical Industry
Temporary Agency Work
Commerce / Retail

5. EO’s lifecycle Renewal Stagnation Mature Decline Growing Start-Up
Sustainability
Decline
Growing
Business club
Fear of formalizing
Lack of funding / expertise
Start-Up

6. EO’s lifecycle Renewal Stagnation Mature Decline Growing Start-Up
Sustainability
Decline
Growing
Vision and elaborating consistent strategy
Need for stronger systems and accountability
Pointing out constraints; formulating
industry’s positions
Unstable finances and HR
Start-Up

7. EO’s lifecycle Renewal Stagnation Mature Decline Growing Start-Up
Sustainability
Decline
Clear vision and strategy, outcomes-based
Fully-fledged lobbying
Efficient use of own professional expertise
Strategic partnerships
From reactive to proactive?
Ability to manage transitions?
Board governance?
Growing
Start-Up

8. EO’s lifecycle Renewal Stagnation Mature Decline Growing Start-Up
Sustainability
Decline
Growing
Start-Up

9. Common issues regarding EOs in CCs and NMS
Tight membership base: often lacking some of the SMEs segment; not sufficiently representative
Low income: due to limited membership and poor offer of income-generating services
Lack of independent policy analysis (research capacity & skills)
No strategic positioning in social dialogue
Insufficient service orientation and delivery
= Impediments to
help companies performing better (micro level)
act as a professional partner in policy discussions,
lobbying, bi- or tripartite social dialogue (macro level)

10. Framework for Capacity-Building
Vision & Mission
Leadership & Governance
(board, staff, members)
Resources
(financial, technological,
human)
Outreach
(lobbying, social dialogue,
communication)
Because of the diversity in EOs, their needs and ability to build future capacity will vary widely from one organization to the next.
This Figure illustrates a common framework for analyzing and assessing potential pathways for addressing the capacity needs of EOs. It consists of five components that are commonly found in all organizations: vision and mission, leadership and governance, resources, outreach, and products and services.
These five factors are interrelated and mutually dependent on one another.
As a system, each factor reinforces the others.
Our projects are designed to work on these five aspects. Some activities may emphasize one factor over another, but
a healthy mix of these five components is necessary for an organization to expand / for enhancing organizational capacity.
Products & Services
(outputs, performance, sustainability)

11. Projects’ methodology
Strong partnership with EU sector EO – capacity-building strategy
Assessment of capacity and needs of EOs
Design & Implementation of tailor-made activities
On-going support throughout the project and afterwards (technical assistance; peer support)
Emphasis on outcomes and accountability
Focus on what is working / what is not
Evaluation of impact on learning (individuals) and organizational development

12. Prior evaluation of competences
and needs – Chemical project

13. Impact Evaluation - Actions to better use the opportunities of national dialogue to
advocate for business concerns – Chemical project

15. Results and Impact
EOs’ general functioning (strategy, planning, governance, relations with members, communication etc.)
Creation of new EOs
Review of governance rules / statutes
Adoption of strategic plans / business agendas
Development of members’ service packages
Creation of new EOs: TAW Latvia and Romania; first steps toward merger (Poland Metal)
Review of governance rules / statutes: Chem HU
Adoption of strategic plans / business agendas: Based on Members’ needs and auditing CZ Chem
Development of members’ service packages

16. Results and Impact New lobbying strategies devised and implemented
Identification of factors influencing the Business environment and lobbying opportunities
Range of tools PPs, Events, Meetings etc.
New services to members launched
In the areas of Training, Advice, Standard setting etc.
Identification of factors influencing the Business environment and lobbying opportunities
Range of tools PPs, Events, Meetings etc
New services to members launched: Lithuania Chem Green generation project; HR focal point in Romania Chem

17. Results and Impact
Understanding of EOs’ staff and members on policy-making and social dialogue role in country and at EU level
Insight into trade union views, strategies, priorities and concerns (National/EU/International)
Functioning of EU social dialogue / SSDC meeting experience
Identification and first meetings with SP counterpart
Insight into trade union views, strategies, priorities and concerns (National/EU/International): Romania Chem, new project RT at regional level on sdial issues
Functioning of EU social dialogue / SSDC meeting experience : input during formalization process (Metal); Signing of joint SSDC Declaration (Chem)
Identification and first meetings with SP counterpart: BCCI Bul Chem – meetings every month with TU as a direct follow-up to project; TAW in Greece and Turkey, sub-regional seminar occasion fro first-ever meeting between UNI-Europa affilaites and Employers

18. Results and Impact
Awareness of experience and good practice in the different project / partner countries / benchmarking
Networking
Strengthening of the role of the EU level partner organization (point of reference; membership)
To ensure a long-lasting impact of projects, participants had two broad recommendations:
to keep regular experience sharing opportunities, and
(b) to enhance networking between associations.