Joint social audits at Faber-Castell’s operations in Indonesia have driven tangible improvements in occupational safety and health, collective bargaining, and workers’ participation. As Faber-Castell, IG Metall, and the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) marked the 25th anniversary of their International Framework Agreement (IFA) last year, Indonesian unions are calling for this effective monitoring mechanism to be maintained.

During the social audits in Indonesia jointly conducted by BWI, IG Metall and Faber-Castell headquarters management in September 2025, the delegation assessed the continued adherence to the IFA and thereby noted progress in occupational safety and health. The audits also highlighted constructive social dialogue, reflected in collective bargaining agreements covering all three locations.

Local union leaders emphasised the concrete benefits the audits have delivered for workers. Imam, a union leader at one of the plants, said that the social audit conducted jointly by Faber-Castell, IG Metall and BWI has greatly helped them improve occupational safety and health. Meanwhile, Pendi, a union leader at another plant, highlighted how the audits have strengthened collective bargaining and workers’ participation, and increased consultation in corporate decision-making processes. The unionists noted that the social audit, conducted openly and transparently, has equipped them for meaningful dialogue and negotiations with the company.

These experiences show that social audits are more than compliance exercises; they create trusted spaces where workers, unions and management can openly discuss workplace concerns, review progress, strengthen social partnership and agree on practical improvements. They also enable the international signatories to assess how the IFA’s principles are being implemented at the workplace and throughout the supply chain, which is particularly important in a changing world of work shaped by challenges such as climate change, heat stress and the introduction of new technologies.

Internal company monitoring cannot fully replace this joint process involving workers’ representatives and the international signatories, as the participation of BWI and IG Metall brings international experience, an independent perspective and concrete recommendations for improvement, while local unions ensure that workers can raise concerns directly and participate in developing solutions.

BWI recognises Faber-Castell’s long-standing commitment to social dialogue and responsible business practices. Any consideration of changes to the agreed social audit process should not be decided unilaterally, they rather require a careful dialogue among all signatories and local unions. Building on the positive results of this longstanding partnership, BWI looks forward to discussing with Faber-Castell and IG Metall how regular joint social audits can be continued and further improved in order to keep addressing workers’ concerns in a constructive manner.

The continuation of jointly conducted social audits would reaffirm the IFA as a living agreement grounded in transparent monitoring, meaningful worker participation, and a shared commitment to the ILO Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, decent working conditions, and responsible supply chains. The Indonesian experience demonstrates that joint social audits work, making their continuation essential to preserving the trust built over the past 25 years and ensuring that the progress achieved can be sustained and further extended.