How We Support

Map

 

IRIS takes a holistic approach to supporting its partners and stakeholders to promote ethical recruitment. This includes:  

Stakeholder partnerships and dialogue 

  • IRIS partnerships are characterised by close cooperation with stakeholders that include government, civil society, industry associations and multi-stakeholder initiatives. 
  • These partnerships aim to establish effective frameworks for ethical recruitment and to generate, match and sustain supply and demand for ethical recruitment services. 

Awareness raising and capacity building 

  • IRIS provides tailored outreach and training programs for committed recruitment agencies, employers, policymakers and civil society. 
  • Interventions are solutions-oriented and actionable, adapted to local needs and thematic priorities, and aimed at enhancing understanding, operational capacity, and impact. 

Migrant worker empowerment and voice 

  • We partner with civil society to build inclusive, multi-stakeholder platforms for worker engagement and provide training programs for migrant workers. 
  • This includes community and grassroots engagement, direct outreach and support through Migrant Resource Centres (MRCs) and partnerships with civil society, migrants’ rights groups, the labour movement and non-profit organizations.  
  • We support civil society partners with training and networking to establish an ethical recruitment “safety net” through effective outreach and operational grievance mechanisms that connect CSOs in countries of origin and destination.  

Regulation of international recruitment 

  • Inconsistencies across jurisdictions, coupled with uneven enforcement capacity, lead to gaps in migrant worker protection and demonstrate the need for strengthened government regulation. 
  • We support governments to address these gaps, including through policy dialogue, capacity building on ethical recruitment, and assistance with development and strengthening of relevant regulation, bilateral arrangements and national action plans.  

Certification 

  • IRIS Certification is a voluntary scheme for international recruitment agencies created by IOM with a multi-stakeholder coalition of partners from government, civil society and trade unions, recruitment industry, business and human rights organizations, international organizations and the private sector. 
  • Certification is based on the IRIS Standard that defines ethical recruitment. A robust system of checks and balances ensures that participating recruiters adhere to the Standard and treat jobseekers and migrant workers fairly. For more information on IRIS Certification, follow this link.