About this workshop
Businesses operating in the Gulf are under increasing pressure to demonstrate responsible labour practices, protect workers’ rights and manage human rights risks across their operations and supply chains. This two-day executive leadership programme is designed for senior business representatives who want to better understand worker welfare risks in the Gulf and take practical steps to strengthen decent work, responsible labour governance and business resilience. The programme combines legal and commercial insight with practical examples, peer discussion and action planning. Participants will explore how international labour and human rights standards apply in a Gulf business context, how to identify warning signs of poor working conditions, and how to implement practical measures that improve worker welfare and reduce risk.
Details
- Attending
- All Levels
- Modules: 2
- Study: In-person executive training
- Duration: 2 days, 10:00–15:30 each day, including lunch break
- From £2,150 per participant, excluding VAT (includes: training delivery, venue costs and lunch for both days)
Features
- Two-day in-person executive programme.
- Designed for businesses operating in, or connected to, Gulf economies.
- Practical focus on decent work, worker welfare and responsible labour governance.
- Includes practical examples, discussion and action planning.
- Discounted access to Ardea’s Decent Work Toolkit.
- Facilitated by Ardea’s CEO, supported by another Ardea team member.
Who's it suitable for?
Business leaders and executives. Senior decision-makers who want to understand how decent work and worker welfare expectations affect business strategy, governance and reputation.
Sustainability and ESG leaders. Professionals responsible for embedding human rights, labour rights and responsible business practices into corporate sustainability programmes.
Legal, compliance and risk teams. Teams responsible for identifying, managing and evidencing labour rights, human rights and supply chain risk controls.
HR and worker welfare teams. Professionals responsible for employee welfare, recruitment practices, accommodation standards, worker engagement and workplace
Procurement and supply chain leaders. Teams managing suppliers, contractors and labour providers, particularly in sectors with heightened labour and worker welfare risks.
Learning outcomes
01. Understand how international labour and human rights standards apply to businesses operating in, or connected to, the Gulf region.
02. Identify common worker welfare risks across operations and supply chains, including risks linked to recruitment, accommodation, health and safety, working conditions, forced labour and child labour.
03. Recognise warning signs of poor working conditions that may affect workers’ rights, safety, dignity and well-being.
04. Understand practical controls and management measures that can strengthen decent work and reduce worker welfare risks.
05. Identify how to improve worker engagement, worker voice, grievance mechanisms and access to remedy.
06. Understand how responsible labour governance can be embedded into business operations, supplier relationships and internal accountability structures.
07. Develop practical action points for applying decent work and worker welfare measures within their own organisation.
Programme overview
Day 1: Worker welfare risks in the Gulf and how to spot them
Day 1 focuses on understanding the business context, the applicable standards and the key worker welfare risks affecting businesses in the Gulf region.
Participants will explore how risks can arise across direct operations, contractors, labour providers and supply chains. The session will also consider practical warning signs that may indicate poor working conditions or heightened risk to workers.
Day 2: Implementing practical worker welfare and decent work measures
Day 2 moves from risk identification to business action.
Participants will consider how to implement practical controls, strengthen worker welfare governance, improve worker engagement and develop effective grievance and remediation processes. The day will conclude with action planning to help participants translate the learning into practical steps for their own organisation.
Who’ll deliver the workshops?
Colleen Theron, CEO of Ardea International will personally facilitate the workshop. Colleen is a tri-qualified solicitor with more than 25 years’ legal and commercial experience of working with businesses and NGOs across sectors at both strategic and operational level. She provides training at directorial and managerial levels on ESG issues, including environmental, human rights and modern slavery risks.
Why study with Ardea?
At Ardea, we pride ourselves on our teaching methods. We are an ISEP-accredited training centre (The Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals), with years of experience in training organisations. Our workshops are interactive, providing a virtual space for constructive dialogue and peer-sharing knowledge. We share insights from real case studies, grounding learning in practical and applicable advice. Through our training, you will gain a deeper understanding of key human rights legislation, giving you confidence in applying it in practice. Our workshops are led by our CEO and tri-qualified lawyer, Colleen Theron, who leverages her over 25 years of legal and commercial expertise to support you in meeting your legal obligations and developing best practice procedures.
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