Members of the Employers Confederation of Thailand (ECOT) and the Thai Frozen Food Association (TFFA) paid a visit to the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) last May 30 as part of their study tour. They were joined by Tuomo Poutiainen, IPEC Thailand Programme Manager, and Mel Asuncion from Verite.

The TFFA represents key shrimp and seafood processors in Thailand. They have recently associated with the International Labor Organization (ILO) on addressing labor issues in the supply chain.

The study tour forms part of the ILO-Royal Government of Thailand partnership in dealing with the issues of child labor, forced labor and improvements of working conditions and competitiveness of businesses in Thailand. The study tour was primarily organized to enable ECOT and TFFA members to better understand addressing said issues.

During the groups’ visit to ECOP, Director General Vicente Leogardo, Jr., Deputy Director General Jose Roland Moya, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Manager Dang Buenaventura discussed ECOP programs and employers’ interventions towards eliminating worst forms of child labor.