Industry Group Announces Global Standards for Warehouse Safety

To better protect transportation workers, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has introduced new global standards for decent work in warehousing, distribution and logistics.

The organization has over 16.5 million members represented across more than 730 trade unions in 150+ countries.

The standards, known as the “8 Principles for Decent Work,” set out clear, enforceable benchmarks for safety, fair employment, dignity, and rights at work, the group said. The ITF said the need for new standards was tied to the exponential growth due to e-commerce.

“Warehousing is no longer just storage, it’s the engine room of the global economy,” said Stephen Cotton, general secretary of the ITF, in a statement. “But the workers who keep goods moving are too often invisible and exploited. These principles are a call to action for companies, governments, and consumers to raise the bar and protect those powering the global supply chain.”

The first company to sign onto the new framework is global logistics firm SeSé México, with over 1 billion Euros in annual sales. A spokesperson for SeSé México said, “At Sesé México, adhering to the '8 Principles for Decent Work' is not just an obligation, but a way of life at work, where the well-being of employees, and therefore of the company itself, is taken into account. Thus, we form a family with values ​​that are evident in every activity. We are grateful for this recognition, which inspires us to continue respecting the principles that ensure decent and dignified work.”

The 8 principles for decent work include:

1. Fundamental principles and rights at work: Grounded in the ILO Declaration, ensuring freedom of association, non-discrimination, and a safe working environment.
2. Safe jobs: Identifying and managing workplace hazards and ensuring worker participation in health and safety planning.
3. Secure and decent jobs: Advocating for stable, full-time employment, living wages, social protection, and fair scheduling.
4. Harassment and violence-free workplaces: Mandating strong anti-violence policies, gender-responsive redress mechanisms, and safe commuting.
5. Responsible use of technology: Calling for algorithmic transparency, limits on surveillance, and collective consultation on tech deployment.
6. Just Transition for climate-ready warehousing: Integrating decarbonization with job security and resilience planning.
7. Freedom of association and collective bargaining: Reaffirming the right to unionize and negotiate, even in restrictive jurisdictions.
8. Effective grievance mechanisms: Promoting accessible, equitable, and rights-based redress systems with continuous learning and transparency.

These principles were developed through extensive consultation with warehouse workers and their unions. They draw on existing international labor standards, ensuring standards are both realistic and enforceable.

The ITF’s warehousing program focuses on four pillars: securing employer commitments through collective bargaining, advocating for government regulation, educating workers, and holding companies accountable across supply chains.

Matt Draper, ITF’s warehousing distribution & logistics chair, said: “These principles are a turning point for warehouse workers everywhere. For too long, this sector has relied on a hidden workforce facing dangerous conditions, low pay, and zero job security. The ITF’s new global standards give workers a voice, a path to decent pay, and a way to hold their employers accountable. This is about lifting standards across the board.”

The first company to sign onto the new framework is global logistics firm SeSé México – with over 1 billion Euros in annual sales. A spokesperson for SeSé México said, “At Sesé México, adhering to the '8 Principles for Decent Work' is not just an obligation, but a way of life at work, where the well-being of employees, and therefore of the company itself, is taken into account. Thus, we form a family with values ​​that are evident in every activity. We are grateful for this recognition, which inspires us to continue respecting the principles that ensure decent and dignified work.”