SGS Responsible Business Services - International News on Social Responsibility

1. Many Provinces (Autonomous Regions and Municipalities) Distributes High Temperature Allowance from June
All-China Federation of Trade Unions prints <Notice on Taking Measures on heatstroke Prevention for Workers 2021> in June. It requires that trade unions at all levels should urge employers to fulfill responsibilities of heatstroke prevention, including the stipulation on employers to distribute high temperature allowance. In terms of distribution amount, Shanghai, Guangdong and Jiangsu distribute CNY 300 per month, ranking highest among all the provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) that provide high temperature allowance monthly. In regard to the duration, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Shaanxi, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Shandong, Gansu, Hubei, Ningxia and Guizhou give out high temperature allowance from June for four successive months. Guangdong and Guangxi distribute this allowance from June for five months, while the duration of distributing high temperature allowance in Hainan is the longest in China due to the hot weather, lasting for seven months from April to October.

2. Report Highlights Need for Gender Equality in Asia’s Garment Sector
A new ILO report 'Moving the Needle: Gender equality and decent work in Asia’s garment sector' examines the current status of women and key trends and gender dynamics in Asia’s garment sector. It specifically highlights the issues of: pay equity; discrimination, violence and harassment; disproportionate unpaid care, work and family responsibilities; and lack of women's voice, representation and leadership across the industry. In addition, it provides a roadmap for action to accelerate progress towards gender equality.

3. ILO Published <World Employment and Social Outlook – Trends 2021>
Recurrent waves of the pandemic around the globe have caused working-hour losses to remain persistently high in 2021, leading to a shortfall in total working hours of 4.8 per cent in the first quarter that dipped slightly to 4.4 per cent in the second quarter. This shortfall – corresponding to the working-hours equivalent of 140 million full‑time jobs in the first quarter and 127 million full-time jobs in the second quarter. The total working-hour losses have translated into a sharp drop in labour income and an increase in poverty. The highly uneven impact of the crisis exacerbates pre-existing decent work deficits and social inequalities. Looking ahead, the projected employment growth will be insufficient to close the gaps opened up by the crisis.

4. Child Labour Rises to 160 Million Worldwide– First Increase in Two Decades  
The number of children in child labour has risen to 160 million worldwide, an increase of 8.4 million children in the last four years, with millions more at risk due to the impacts of COVID-19, according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNICEF. The report warns that globally, 9 million additional children are at risk of being pushed into child labour by the end of 2022 as a result of the pandemic.

5. The United Nation Report: COVID-19 Has Wiped out A Decade Gains in Global Development
The sustainable development goals report 2021, issued by the United Stationed estimates the progress of 17 sustainable development goals involved in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The results show that efforts to achieve SDGs are suffering from pandemic to various degrees, and the progress for several years in some fields go up in smoke. The effects of COVID-19 have reversed much of the progress made in reducing poverty, with global extreme poverty rising in 2020 for the first time during the past two decades. Estimates suggest that 2020 saw an increase of between 119 million and 124 million global poor. The pandemic has halted or reversed progress in health with essential health services disrupted. For education, the pandemic is projected to cause an additional 101 million children in primary and lower secondary school to fall below the minimum reading proficiency threshold. It also saw a reverse in gender equality that Intimate partner violence against girls and women surge dramatically and child marriage is on the rise. Additionally, women are under more serious hit in employment.

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