High Level Meeting on Living Income and Living Wage in Berlin

On the way to living income and living wage – how can governments and private sector work together?

21 June 2022, 1:30 PM – 5:00 PM CEST

Meeting in person with limited space

In the wake of the recent EU legislative proposal on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDD-D), published on 23 February 2022, which is explicitly safeguarding “adequate living wages” (see Art. 17 in the Annex) the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development will host a meeting to advance living incomes and wages on EU level and beyond. The meeting is taking place in person on Tuesday, 21 June 2022 from 1.30 – 5.00 PM at the BMZ in Berlin, but the livestream will be available for everyone here on this page on the day of the event.

Living incomes and wages should be positioned as an important approach for European companies and retailers to effectively prevent human rights risks in their supply chains as well as to fulfil due diligence obligations. So far, the German and Dutch governments signed on 27 January 2021 a Joint Declaration to promote living incomes and wages. The declaration is a clear signal to companies to comply with and go beyond their upcoming corporate due diligence obligations.

Redording of High Level Meeting on Living Income and Living Wage:

View recording

Introductionary program to the Living Income / Living wage concept

1:30 – 1:35 Welcome, Moderator Christian Thorun

1:35 – 1:55 Introduction to the Living Income / Living Wage concept and the work of the Living Income Community of Practice (LiCoP)

Speakers: Kristin Komives, Director of ISEAL

1:55 – 2:20 Launch of the Living Income Guidance for Governments, developed by the Sustainable Food Lab (SFL) and Fair Trade Advocacy Office (FTAO)

Speakers: Fabian Richter (FTAO) and Kristin Komives (ISEAL)

2:20 – 2:45 Input by OECD on the upcoming OECD-Handbook for Companies on Living Income and Wages in the agricultural and textile sector

Speakers: Shivani Kannabhiran, OECD Centre for Responsible Business Conduct

2:45 – 3:00 Input by ILO on Living Income and Living Wage processes

Speakers: Patrick Belser, ILO

3:00 – 3:30 Coffee break and networking

High Level Agenda

3:30 – 3:35 Welcome by German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Svenja Schulze

3:35 – 3:45 Keynote by Dutch Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Liesje Schreinemacher

3:45 – 3:55 Announcement by Belgian Foreign Ministry to sign the Joint Agreement on Living Income and Wages

3:55 – 4:35 Panel debate on "How can governments and private sector work together towards living income and wages in global supply chains?"

Svenja Schulze, German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development
Alex Assanvo, Executive Secretary of the Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana Cocoa Initiative
Vanúsia Nogueira, Executive Director of the International Coffee Organisation (ICO)
Carmen Borsche, Managing Director of Nestlé Confectionery Germany
Friedel Huetz-Adams, Senior Researcher at Südwind

4:35 – 4:55 Q&A

4:55 – 5:00 Closing words by the Moderator