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Mr. Erol Kiresepi, Chairman of the International Organization of Employers (IOE) since 2017, Chairman of the Board of Santa Farma Pharmaceuticals and Deputy Chairman of the Turkey Chemical, Petroleum, Rubber and Plastics Industry Employers' Association (KİPLAS), Represented Global Employers at the G20 Employment Working Group Meeting.

Mr. Erol Kiresepi, Chairman of the International Organization of Employers (IOE) since 2017, Chairman of the Board of Santa Farma Pharmaceuticals and Deputy Chairman of the Turkey Chemical, Petroleum, Rubber and Plastics Industry Employers' Association (KİPLAS), participated in the Employment Working Group meeting, which was held through video conference on February 15-17, 2021 within the framework of the Italian G20 2021 Presidency, representing the global employers.

Two key agenda items were evaluated at the meeting, in which the representatives of the ministries of labor and economy from the G20 countries, international organizations such as the International Labor Organization (ILO), the World Bank as well as the B20 and L20 representatives as global workers' and employers' organizations attended. In this context, the G20 activities aimed at 'reducing the gender gap between labor participation rates below 25% by 2025' as stated in the '2014 Brisbane Leaders Declaration' and the efforts to increase the resilience and effectiveness of social protection systems were analyzed on a global scale.

“Social protection is an effective tool”

In his speech on social protection systems delivered on February 16, 2021, Mr. Erol Kiresepi, who participated in the Working Group as the B20 representative, noted that social protection is an effective tool in solving the humanitarian problems we face today, especially due to COVID-19, and that the recommendations made by the G20 on the subject should be promptly implemented. He also emphasized that IOE has launched an initiative to support businesses and workers in the supply chain of the garment industry, especially in the countries negatively affected by the pandemic, under the coordination of the ILO and in collaboration with stakeholders such as ITUC and IndustryALL, to overcome the crisis. Mr. Kiresepi stated that the development of social protection systems should be addressed together with the policies for fighting against the shadow economy, and it is essential to avoid decisions that may be specifically detrimental to registered employment.

Mr. Kiresepi noted that urgent measures should be introduced for the sustainability of social protection systems, considering the ongoing demographic transformation, and they think it to be beneficial to avoid imposing new burdens on younger generations and companies, especially within the framework of these systems.

“We are looking forward to the implementation of ILO Recommendation-R202”

Highlighting that the adaptation of social protection systems to the new reality is possible with the development of private sector-dominated social security instruments and new financing models as well as new social protection systems for some segments such as the self-employed, Mr. Kiresepi also noted:

“In the new period, social protection systems should also function to create skill development and higher employability. Governments cannot take actions fast enough to meet ever-changing needs of skill sets; however, it will be possible to address the problem swiftly if the social partners are involved in the process management at a higher level. We are looking forward to the implementation of ILO Recommendation-R202 as a global consensus framework between workers, employers and government representatives on social protection systems.”

In the session where country practices were evaluated within the scope of the meeting, the representatives of the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services made a presentation on increasing the female labor force participation and the effectiveness of social protection systems.