Mitihoon – Thailand’s seafood sector strengthens supervisory skills to support decent work for migrant workers Training initiative draws on ILO’s garment sector experience to equip frontline staff with skills needed to strengthen responsible business practices across the sector.
The International Labor Organization (ILO) and Thai Union Group have launched a pilot training program to strengthen front-line leadership skills across Thailand’s seafood processing sector. The initiative aims to improve workplace communication, strengthen labor practices, and support decent work, particularly in workplaces employing large numbers of migrant workers.
The pilot Supervisory Skills Essential Training forms part of the Seafood Good Labor Practices program (SGLP), a private sector initiative that promotes responsible business conduct and higher labor standards in Thailand’s seafood industry.
Held June 24-25 in Samut Sakhon, Thailand, the training saw supervisors from Thai Union Group, as well as representatives from the Thai Tuna Industry Association and Thai Frozen Foods Association and their member companies, take part.
The training was developed by ILO’s Better Work Program and has been successfully implemented in the garment sector worldwide for several years.
Thailand’s seafood processing industry employs large numbers of both women and men migrant workers. In diverse workplaces, supervisors play an important role in fostering clear communication, addressing concerns, maintaining productivity, and ensuring fair and respectful treatment at work.
Through practical exercises based on real workplace scenarios, participants strengthened their skills in people management, communication, fostering positive workplace relationships, preventing workplace conflict, grievance handling, and non-discrimination and gender-responsive leadership. The training also incorporated cultural awareness to help supervisors apply these approaches in multilingual and multicultural workplaces.
“This pilot training marks an important step toward strengthening workplace relations and advancing decent work in Thailand’s seafood sector. The course builds on the ILO’s extensive experience in improving working conditions in the garment industry, demonstrating how lessons learned can be successfully adapted and applied across sectors,” said Tuomo Poutiainen, deputy regional director of the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.
Thai Union Group highlighted the value of the collaboration in building practical supervisory skills across its operations and supporting continuous improvement in labor practices.
“Strong supervisors are essential to building workplaces where people feel respected, heard, and supported. The Better Work Supervisory Skills Training has a proven track record of improving worker-supervisor relationships and workplace cooperation in other industries. We welcome the opportunity to bring these lessons into the seafood sector through our collaboration with the ILO. Cross-sector learning allows us to accelerate progress and strengthen labor practices in ways that benefit both workers and businesses,” said Chung Man Sammie Ho Dumas, senior director, sustainability and social impact at Thai Union Group.
Participants noted that the training helped them reflect on their roles not only as production supervisors, but also as leaders responsible for supporting workers’ well-being. They highlighted that practical changes in communication and management approaches can make a meaningful difference in daily interactions with workers.
The training was delivered through the ILO’s EU-funded Ship to Shore Rights South-East Asia: Safe Migration for Decent Work in the Blue Economy program and the Better Work Program.
ติดตามช่องทางมิติหุ้นเพื่อรับข่าวสารตลาดทุนได้ตามลิงค์ด้านล่าง
Web : https://www.mitihoon.com/
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/mitihoon
Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/@mitihoonofficial7770
Tiktok : www.tiktok.com/@mitihoon
