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02 February 2026

Managing heat at Work: Cambodia Advances Evidence-Based Action to Protect Workers and Boost Productivity

Phnom Penh, 19 January 2026 – Policymakers, employers, workers’ representatives, international brands, researchers, and development partners gathered for a Multi-Stakeholder Consultation on “Heat at Work and its Implications for Safety, Health, and Productivity in Cambodia’s Garment Sector”, organized by PAGE and hosted by Cambodian Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT). It marked an important step toward strengthening Cambodia’s policy response to rising workplace heat risks. 

Building on a newly released study, PAGE advances policy making that integrates decent work principles into climate adaptation and mitigation responses to strengthen occupational safety and health, productivity, and industrial competitiveness. 

Heat stress: a productivity and decent work challenge

Cambodia has experienced record-breaking temperatures in recent years, with extreme heat increasingly affecting worker health, factory efficiency, and overall productivity, particularly in the garment, footwear and travel goods sector, which employs nearly one million workers, the majority of them are women. New research—done by Cornell University’s Global Labor Institute and the International Finance Corporation, with inputs from the International Labour Organization—presented at the consultation confirmed that unmanaged heat stress is translating into higher health risks, reduced output, and operational disruptions for enterprises.

Participants highlighted that protecting workers from heat stress is not only an occupational safety and health priority, but also a core element of a just transition, one that ensures climate adaptation and competitiveness are achieved without compromising decent work, equity, and social dialogue. 

Protecting workers from heat stress in this sector is therefore not only a matter of occupational safety and health, but also a matter of productivity, economic resilience, and inclusive growth

Ms. Xiaoyan Qian, Director, ILO Country Office for Thailand, Cambodia and Lao PDR
Ms. Xiaoyan Qian, Director, ILO Country Office for Thailand, Cambodia and Lao PDR

Strengthening Policy coherence

The multi-stakeholder consultation directly informed ongoing national efforts, including the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training’s work on a forthcoming regulation (so called Prakas) on heat in the workplace, alongside the development of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. International experiences were shared to demonstrate how clear standards, such as heat exposure thresholds and practical workplace measures, can protect workers and support productivity. 

In follow-up to the discussion, PAGE will continue to work closely with national ministries and social partners to ensure that environmental and climate challenges are addressed in ways that improve working conditions while sustaining enterprise performance. 

From evidence to action

Participants emphasized the need for practical, scalable solutions at factory level, combined with strong policy frameworks and social dialogue. The consultation concluded with a shared commitment to: 

  • integrate heat-risk prevention into national OSH policies and climate adaptation strategies; 
  • support enterprises with practical guidance that improves both worker well-being and productivity; and 
  • strengthen tripartite and multi-stakeholder cooperation across the supply chain. 

Building on these outcomes, PAGE is working with GIZ/FABRIC to develop a policy brief providing actionable recommendations for Cambodian enterprises, employers’ and workers’ organizations, and policymakers. This will be followed by a capacity-building workshop to raise awareness and support implementation of heat-risk prevention measures across Cambodia’s garment sector supply chain.

The consultation was co-organized by the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) through the International Labour Organization, together with Better Factories Cambodia, GIZ/FABRIC Cambodia, Cornell University, the National University of Singapore, and EuroCham’s Responsible Business Hub. 

Funding partners

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