New e-course empowers businesses to strengthen fair recruitment practices

WBCSD and VINCI are proud to announce the launch of the online course “Fair Recruitment Toolkit in Practice“, an interactive e-learning aimed at equipping employers and service providers with the knowledge and resources to implement fair recruitment. 

This self-paced course, which takes approximately 30 minutes to complete, hosted on the WBCSD Academy platform, represents the latest milestone in an impactful journey. It builds on the Fair Recruitment Toolkit, a collective open-source deliverable originally developed under the Business for Inclusive Growth (B4IG) initiative, which merged into the WBCSD Equity Action work at the start of 2024. Informed by the ILO Fair Recruitment Principles, IOM Guidance, Dhaka Principles, and businesses’ best practices, the toolkit presents key elements across the recruitment journey, with a compilation of 14 operational tools. The course’s content was created by VINCI and WBCSD, in collaboration with Control Risks. 

Designed for operational teams and professionals working in human resources, procurement, human rights, sustainability, and ethics, the course provides a practical guide to strengthening recruitment processes and safeguarding the rights of migrant workers. In its open-source format, this e-learning will be an additional source to help companies engage with their suppliers, service providers, subcontractors, and other actors in the supply chain.  

Why this course matters 

According to the ILO Global Estimates on International Migrant Workers, in 2022, there were 167.7 million migrants in the global labour force, many of which work in WBCSD’s member companies and supply chains. Migrant workers play a crucial role in the global economy, bridging labour shortages in destination countries while contributing to the development of their home nations through business, trade, and remittances. However, many low-skilled migrant workers face human rights risks, including recruitment fees, forced labour, and exploitation.  

What participants can expect 

Participants will learn how to implement the Fair Recruitment Toolkit, which covers practical tools across six key elements across the recruitment journey: 

• Policies and procedures: Setting up and communicating to stakeholders. 

• Screening, contracting, and monitoring: Selecting ethical recruiters. 

• Transparent access to accurate information: Ensuring clarity in orientation, employment contracts, and work periods. 

• Pre-departure and travel: Managing documents and departure processes. 

• Grievance and remediation: Establishing principles and processes to address worker complaints. 

• Repayment of recruitment fees: Investigating and reimbursing recruitment-related costs. 

With a corresponding structure of 6 interactive modules, the new course equips employers of all sizes across different sectors and in various migration corridors to set in place mitigation and remedy-related measures to tackle risks faced by migrant workers. 

What can participants take away from this course?  

By completing the course, participants will: 

• Gain a deeper understanding of the Fair Recruitment Toolkit. 

• Learn how to implement tools and operationalize strategies for ethical recruitment. 

• Contribute to the development of fair recruitment practices in their organizations and supply chains. 

As part of the development process, WBCSD and VINCI hosted an in-person capacity building workshop in Dubai in May 2024, engaging companies and service providers in applying the toolkit to real-world scenarios. The workshop provided hands-on experience, highlighting tools such as the recruitment fees investigation checklist and grievance mechanisms. This e-learning course now makes these resources widely accessible, enabling businesses to scale the impact of the toolkit and encourage their suppliers to undertake the training.  

VINCI, a WBCSD member and a leading voice in fair recruitment practices, played a central role in developing the Fair Recruitment Toolkit and guiding the course’s content creation.  

Jocelyne Vassoille, Chief Human Resources Officer at VINCI highlighted the importance of the course: ” Fair recruitment is a cornerstone of sustainable business. This e-course provides companies with actionable guidance to create fairer, more inclusive recruitment practices that respect human rights and give concrete tools to foster stronger, more resilient supply chains”. 

This course underscores WBCSD’s commitment to advancing equity and promoting responsible business practices through education and capacity building.  

It is the latest addition to the WBCSD Academy’s growing suite of resources, designed to support professionals in addressing global challenges and driving sustainable transformation. 

For additional information about the Fair Recruitment Toolkit, visit the toolkit webpage.

If you want more information about WBCSD’s equity or become a member, contact equity@wbcsd.org.