Better Factories Cambodia
Better Work operates in Cambodia as Better Factories Cambodia (BFC).
BFC started in 2001 as the foundational programme of Better Work, which is a joint programme between the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. BFC has been instrumental in improving working conditions in the garment sector while increasing the competitiveness of Cambodia as a smart sourcing destination.
With over 660 participating factories, employing more than 645,000 workers of which approximately 80% are women, BFC is committed to gender equity and empowerment in the workplace and aims to improve the lives of workers, their families and communities as well as the competitiveness of Cambodian garment, travel goods and bag sector and footwear factories in the global market.
Our Strategic Goals
Better Factories Cambodia’s 2023-2027 strategic phase will work to achieve the following outcomes:
By 2027, employers and workers and their representatives uphold and are protected by national labour laws and fundamental principles and rights at work; and enterprises in the sector are more sustainable, resilient and inclusive.
By 2027, Better Factories Cambodia’s impact on workers, enterprises and compliance is sustained by national institutions that leverage the Programme’s approaches, data and evidence.
By 2027, Better Factories Cambodia, in partnerships with relevant industry actors, will ensure enterprises that participate in the programme have adopted policies and practices on responsible business conduct that support the realization of decent work and sustainable compliance.
By 2027, the programme’s learnings and methods have created positive social and environmental impacts beyond the programme.
Latest news
Beyond cash: How digital wages boost productivity and empower workers’ lives in Cambodia’s factories
More garment factories in Cambodia are adopting digital wage payments, benefiting over 8,000 workers, mainly women. This shift enhances financial security and efficiency for workers like Nimul and Navy, while also improving operational performance for factories. Digital wages are crucial for the future of Cambodia’s garment sector.
Voices of Cambodia’s Factory Ambassador Programme
Empowering trade union leaders: Yang Sophorn’s journey
Contribution to Priority Themes
These themes crosscut the strategic goals and will be present in our factory engagement, research, policy influencing and content produced as well as affect how we allocate our human and financial resources.
Business Performance
BFC will support employers to develop services for their members on productivity and develop a policy agenda to engage the Government on industry needs for productivity gains. The programme will organize training for workers’ organizations to strengthen their role in increasing productivity.
Data and Evidence
The programme will work with universities and research institutes to collect and analyze data, consulting with constituents, including union groups, on how data is collected and used and how constituents’ data needs can be met. The programme will use data to make the case for skills development in the sector and publish research on gender, digital wage transition and Occupational Safety and Health (OSH).
Environmental Sustainability
BFC will engage with partners to identify the changes needed at the system, enterprise and national levels to reduce emissions produced by the garment sector. Research on heat stress in factories will be used to advocate for the adoption of a building code regulatory mechanism. BFC will also undertake climate change impact training for workers to raise awareness about environmental sustainability.
Gender Equality & Inclusion
The topic of gender equality cuts across all the work that we do at Better Factories Cambodia (BFC). To provide strategic direction in its work, BFC focuses its gender priorities under four pillars: Discrimination, Paid work and Care, Voice and Representation and Leadership and Skills Development.
Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)
Alongside the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, BFC will co-train officials and staff at the provincial level on techniques to detect OSH non-compliance in factories. Together with the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), the programme will build the sector’s capacity in line with the ILO’s Code of Practice on Occupational Safety and Health.
Social Dialogue
As part of the Industrial Relations (IR) leadership programme, BFC provides training to trade unions on the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) process. The programme advises trade unions in over 200 factories. BFC will develop and disseminate an IR toolkit to factories as part of training and advisory meetings. The trade union contact group will meet on a regular basis to receive capacity-building training.
Social Protection
Collaborating with the ILO’s social protection specialists in Cambodia, BFC will focus on key aspects of a garment worker’s life and livelihood, especially the tenure of workers, with particular attention given to understanding women workers’ work and care responsibilities. Enterprise Advisors will be trained on social protection concepts to embed knowledge about social protection in factories via bipartite committee meetings.
Wages
In collaboration with the ILO Global Center on Digital Wages for Decent Work, BFC will coordinate with supply chain actors to ensure a responsible transition to digital wage. The programme will support digital literacy initiatives for workers, constituents’ dialogue and the Government’s efforts to expand minimum wage coverage beyond the garment industry.
