ILO and Nike Partner to Boost Commuting Safety for Garment Workers in Asia

In a significant move to enhance worker safety beyond factory walls, four garment factories in Cambodia and Viet Nam have been awarded grants under the Commuting Safety Challenge, an initiative led by the International Labour Organization (ILO)'s Vision Zero Fund with support from Nike Inc. The project aims to tackle one of the most persistent yet underreported hazards facing garment and footwear workers — commuting accidents.

The Challenge, which received 11 innovative proposals, invited factories to develop practical and sustainable strategies to improve the safety of workers' daily travel to and from work. A panel of occupational safety and road safety experts, with inputs from the UN Road Safety Fund, Better Factories Cambodia, and the ILO Country Office for Viet Nam, selected four winners for their creative, worker-focused approaches.

A Growing Concern: Road Safety for Garment Workers

In Cambodia and Viet Nam, where the garment and footwear industries employ millions — the majority of them women — commuting accidents are a leading cause of injury and death among workers. Many travel long distances on unsafe roads, often by overcrowded trucks or motorcycles, facing poor infrastructure, erratic traffic conditions, and limited access to public transport.

According to the ILO, commuting accidents are frequently overlooked in occupational safety discussions despite their direct impact on worker well-being, productivity, and household income. The Vision Zero Fund's Commuting Safety Challenge seeks to change this by empowering factories to take proactive steps to reduce traffic-related risks, improve transport conditions, and foster a culture of safety extending beyond the factory gates.

"Commuting accidents are a serious but often overlooked issue that can impact occupational safety and health," said Ockert Dupper, Programme Manager of the ILO's Vision Zero Fund. "This Challenge empowers factories to implement practical changes that save lives and improve productivity."

Turning Ideas into Action

The four winning factories — Freetrend Industrial (Viet Nam), Fuluh Shoes (Viet Nam), Taral International (Cambodia), and Far Eastern New Century Corporation (Viet Nam) — will now receive financial and technical support to roll out their projects between October 2025 and April 2026.

Each project represents a distinct approach to commuting safety innovation, tailored to the needs of workers and local conditions:

• Freetrend Industrial (Viet Nam) will implement the initiative "Your Safety, Our Priority," introducing a rapid response traffic team, staggered shift times to reduce congestion, monthly bus fare subsidies, and infrastructure improvements near the factory. A worker feedback mechanism will ensure inclusivity, particularly for pregnant women and mothers, whose commuting challenges are often greater.

• Fuluh Shoes (Viet Nam) will pioneer a digital Commuting Safety Data Monitoring System — a first of its kind — to systematically record, track, and analyze commuting incidents. The system will replace informal reporting, helping management and safety committees identify accident hotspots and take evidence-based preventive measures.

• Taral International (Cambodia) plans to replace unsafe standing trucks with proper seated buses to transport workers, while simultaneously launching driver and passenger safety training programs. The company will also organize awareness campaigns across two factories, promoting safe travel behaviors and traffic rule compliance.

• Far Eastern New Century Corporation (Viet Nam) will focus on infrastructure improvements, such as better lighting and signage around factory zones, complemented by peer-to-peer training programs and community engagement to foster road safety awareness beyond the workplace.

Together, these initiatives are expected to benefit more than 31,000 workers across both countries — the majority being women employed in the garment and footwear industries.

Global Partnerships Driving Local Change

The Commuting Safety Challenge builds on the ILO Vision Zero Fund's global mission to reduce workplace injuries and fatalities across supply chains by addressing all aspects of occupational safety — from factory floors to daily commutes.

"Improving commuter safety saves lives and livelihoods," said Nneka Henry, Head of the UN Road Safety Fund. "Through initiatives like this and our Cambodia project, factories are demonstrating leadership in creating safer daily journeys for thousands of workers."

Nike Inc., which supported the Challenge, emphasized the shared responsibility of brands, suppliers, and governments in advancing worker safety. "Workers in the garment and footwear sector are disproportionately affected by road accidents in many countries," said Sittichoke Huckuntod, Senior Director at Nike Inc. "Through our collaboration with the Vision Zero Fund, we aim to reduce road and commuting accidents across our supply chain. We want to empower workers to make informed decisions and take action to avoid and mitigate known commuting risks."

Innovation and Accountability

A cornerstone of the Challenge is the Vision Zero Fund's Commuting Safety Assessment Methodology, a structured framework developed by ILO experts to help factories evaluate road safety risks, identify gaps, and design tailored action plans.

This methodology encourages companies to look beyond compliance, integrating road safety into broader occupational health and safety (OHS) management systems. It also promotes collaboration among employers, workers, and local authorities to address community-level risks, such as poor road conditions and limited transport options.

"Each selected factory will serve as a pilot model," said Dupper. "Their results will provide valuable lessons on how to effectively combine policy, technology, and worker engagement to create safer commuting environments in global supply chains."

Safer Commutes, Stronger Workplaces

By addressing commuting safety, the ILO and Nike partnership highlights how protecting workers' lives can also enhance business productivity and reputation. Reduced accident rates mean fewer work disruptions, lower healthcare costs, and improved employee morale — outcomes that benefit workers, employers, and the broader economy alike.

The ILO will document and share the factories' progress and experiences through a global webinar scheduled for mid-2026, encouraging replication of best practices across other countries and industries.

A Model for the Future

The Commuting Safety Challenge is part of a broader movement to extend the "Vision Zero" philosophy — the idea that all occupational injuries and deaths are preventable — to new areas of worker protection. In recent years, the Vision Zero Fund has launched similar initiatives addressing chemical safety, machine operation risks, and fire prevention in garment and agriculture sectors worldwide.

By tackling the risks workers face on their way to and from work, the ILO and its partners are expanding the boundaries of workplace safety, making it a comprehensive, worker-centered responsibility.

As the Challenge winners begin implementing their solutions, the ILO envisions a future where every worker's commute is safe, where factories take shared ownership of road safety, and where global brands champion supply chain integrity through responsible business conduct.

"Safer commutes mean stronger workplaces and healthier lives," said Nneka Henry. "These initiatives show that innovation and empathy can move industries forward — one safe journey at a time."