At the 2023 BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers Meeting in South Africa, Ministers highlighted the strong link between productivity growth and the creation of decent, formal jobs as a foundation for inclusive and sustainable development. They called for the establishment of a BRICS Productivity Ecosystems for Decent Work Knowledge Platform to promote the sharing of effective policies and practices.
Developed by Paulo Jacinto, ILO Consultant with support of ILO ENTERPRISES, ILO PARTNERSHIPS, ILO Turin, ILO Brasilia, ILO Pretoria, ILO Beijing, the Productivity Ecosystems for Decent Work approach examines how productivity and decent work interact across macro, meso, and micro levels. Drawing on national studies from Brazil, China, and South Africa, the report shows that productivity and decent work are mutually reinforcing when supported by coherent industrial policies, skills systems, labour institutions, social dialogue, and enterprise support. It also analysis how South-South cooperation and peer learning can support these processes, developed during the South African BRICS presidency and further discussed in the Russian (2024) and Brazilian (2025) presidencies of BRICS.
The three country experiences demonstrate that coordinated and inclusive policy ecosystems can foster competitiveness, productivity growth, and quality employment. These findings provide an evidence base for strengthening South-South cooperation and form the foundation of the BRICS Knowledge Platform, supporting Member States in advancing inclusive growth, decent work, and social justice.