Global Framework Agreements (GFAs) serve to protect the interests of workers across a multinational company’s operations.
GFAs are negotiated on a global level between trade unions and a multinational company. They put in place the very best standards of trade union rights, health, safety and environmental practices, and quality of work principles across a company's global operations, regardless of whether those standards exist in an individual country.
By signing a GFA, a multinational company accepts responsibility to protect and respect fundamental workers’ rights, in particular the right to organize and bargain collectively, and to exercise due diligence concerning the impact of its operations on human rights in its production facilities and along its supply chain. GFAs are largely used to resolve problems, especially along the supply chains. In case of a conflict, for instance on organizing, GFAs can help provide remedy.
Trade union rights violations in GFA-companies and their supply chains can be raised with the company directly quoting the GFA in question and its implementation mechanisms, or through unions in the home country of the company or with IndustriALL.
Current agreements
IndustriALL has existing GFAs with the following multinational corporations. Click on each company to view more information and the agreement text.
IndustriALL also has global agreements with multinational corporations covering specific key topics across these corporations’ operations. These include our global health and safety agreement with ArcelorMittal and our global agreement on sexual harassment with Unilever.
Checklists for Global Framework Agreements
IndustriALL Global Union’s Checklist for the Secretariat for Implementation and Monitoring of GFAs
Global Framework Agreement guidelines
IndustriALL GFA Guidelines - English
IndustriALL GFA Guidelines - French
IndustriALL GFA Guidelines - Spanish
IndustriALL GFA Guidelines - German
IndustriALL GFA Guidelines - Russian
IndustriALL GFA Guidelines - Japanese