Workers’ capital is invested in companies operating in a globalised economy, with increasingly complex supply chains. By leveraging their retirement savings, workers can influence how companies respect human and labour rights, remain financially sustainable, and minimize adverse impacts on the environment.

Understanding the importance of this role, the CWC (Global Unions Committee on Workers’ Capital), established in 1999, connects labour activists from around the world to promote information sharing and joint action in the field of workers’ capital. The CWC is a joint initiative of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the Global Unions Federations (GUFs) and the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC).

The work of the CWC, guided by the Global Unions Statement on Responsible Approaches to the Stewardship of Workers’ Capital (2007), and is implemented through working groups on shareholder activism, trustee education, and economically targeted investment.

For more information, see our brochure (English, Français, Español)

2015 Workers’ Capital Conference

Pressing Forward:Putting the Workers Capital Agenda to Action

7-8 September 2015, London, UK

Pressing Forward  was a global conference organized by the Global Unions Committee on Workers’ Capital (CWC), a joint initiative of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC) and the Global Unions Federation (GUFs), and hosted by ITF.

The event highlighted key initiatives on the workers’ capital agenda – the issues, the implications and the actions to be taken – for pension fund trustees, trade union representatives and other responsible investment stakeholders. The annual Workers’ Capital conference is the premier forum for international collaboration and dialogue between trade unions and pension fund trustees on the stewardship of workers’ retirement funds, equal to USD32 trillion or 84% of global GDP, to promote decent work, a sustainable future and secure retirement for workers.

Conference report: click here

2016 conference: June 7-8, Netherlands

Investing in Decent Work: Human Capital Risks in the Qatari construction sector

This briefing paper focuses on the theme of migrant workers’ rights in the Qatari construction sector and the associated risks and responsibilities for multinational construction companies along with their investors. The research is nested within a broader series of concerns about the sustainability legacy and long-term impacts that mega sporting events have on workers. In particular, the brief places strong corporate performance on human capital management in the context of a responsible approach to investing that is geared towards maintaining shareholder value and long-term sustainability.

Click here to download the briefing paper.

The CWC Secretariat has launched a new Global CEO Paywatch webpage, featuring an overview and analysis of global trends in executive compensation along with a table compairing top paid executives in Australia, Canada and the United States.

Information includes:

• Trends in executive compensation and income inequalities
• Why has executive compensation increased so much?
• The reaction to excessive executive compensation
• Impact of Say-on-Pay votes on executive compensation
• Next steps for pension trustees

In addition, the Global CEO Paywatch table provides the salaries of the top 10 paid CEO’s in Australia, Canada and the US and the result of Say-on-pay votes demonstrating increasing discontent by investors.

Go to the Global CEO Paywatch webpage

Also available as a CWC Investor Brief.

If you are interested in participating in this project and expanding the number of countries listed in this table, we encourage you to contact the CWC Secretariat at hletourneau@share.ca

The Global Unions Committee on Workers Capital is encouraging institutional investors to support the Accord. This first in a series of blog posts focuses on the reputational risks faced by companies that have not signed the Bangladesh Accord and outlines why pension trustees should be concerned about this issue.

Reputational risks: why should pension trustees care?

Read the full blog post here.

Also available as a CWC Investor Brief.