BWI Brazil hosted the “Tripartite Conference on Labour Rights in the Brazilian Stone Industry: Promoting Decent Work at All Levels of the Value Chain” on 21–22 July. Organised within the Carving Change project, the conference brought together trade unions, companies, experts, representatives from the Brazilian, Dutch, and Belgian governments, and international entities such as the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to discuss the main challenges facing Brazil’s natural stone sector. These include preventing exposure to silica and silicosis, reducing workplace accidents, strengthening freedom of association and collective bargaining, and building fair and safe supply chains that ensure decent work for all while eliminating occupational risks and hazards.

Union leaders from the Brazilian states of Espírito Santo, Ceará, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo attended, along with representatives from Belgium (ACV/CSC BIE) and the Netherlands (FNV). It also featured renowned experts such as Prof. David Michaels (George Washington University, USA), Dr. Eduardo Algranti (Researcher at FUNDACENTRO), Eng. Mario Parreiras (Labour Inspector at the Ministry of Labour and Employment), and Dr. Leomar Daroncho (National Coordination for the Defense of the Working Environment and Workers’ Health, Ministry of Labour).

During the event, participants watched the documentary Below the Surface: Silent Death in the Stone Industry, produced by BWI in 2024 with the support of its affiliates FNV and SINDIMÁRMORE-ES. Participants also deepened their knowledge of responsible business conduct and due diligence regarding human and labour rights in supply chains, while exchanging knowledge on occupational health and safety risks in the stone sector, including silica exposure and silicosis.

At the closing session, trade union representatives agreed on a 2027–2028 action plan with concrete commitments, including the creation of the BWI Natural Stone Sector Trade Union Network in Brazil, with a Steering Committee composed of representatives from each state; engagement with the main companies in the sector; continued advocacy efforts to address the health risks associated with engineered stone production; the development of worker-centred approaches to strengthen due diligence and responsible business conduct in the stone supply chain through the TruStone Initiative; and the review, updating and editing of training materials on occupational health and safety in the natural stone sector.