From Job Numbers to Job Quality: CAIPA Members Explore How to Measure the Impact of FDI on Decent Work

CAPACITY BUILDING

The second ILO - CAIPA webinar moved members from principles to practice, identifying four priority areas and the support IPAs need to start measuring.

On 30 October 2026, CAIPA members took part in "Assessing the Impact of FDI on Decent Work," the second of three webinars in the programme Foreign Direct Investment for More and Better Jobs, organised by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in collaboration with CAIPA. The session built on the first webinar on the ILO MNE Declaration, held on 29 September. It was facilitated by John Bliek and Resel Melville of the ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean.

Why Measuring Impact Matters

John Bliek opened by sharing results from the survey of members taken in Webinar 1. Most IPAs measure investment and the number of jobs created, but few measure job quality or skills, even though members rated both as very important. Karl Pfeffer of the ILO’s Sustainable Trade and Investment in Southern Africa project said governments increasingly expect IPAs to show the quality and value of FDI, not only its volume. He presented a simple approach: define the impact the IPA wants to contribute to, measure it, then manage it through aftercare, incentives and partnerships. He shared two examples. In Botswana, the investment promotion and special economic zone agencies developed short investor guidelines on responsible business conduct and decent work. Costa Rica’s CINDE publishes an annual impact report that tracks its contribution to selected Sustainable Development Goals.

Choosing What to Measure

Emily Sims, Helpdesk Coordinator for Multinational Enterprises and Responsible Business Conduct at ILO Headquarters, walked members through the ILO-WAIPA key performance indicator (KPI) framework. It covers 11 themes, from employment opportunities and skills to social protection, gender equality and occupational safety. In a live poll, members chose four priority themes: sustainable economic development, skills development, employment opportunities and job quality. In breakout groups, members identified the support they need: clarity on what data to collect and where it sits, more targeted exchanges with IPAs that are already leaders in this area, and advocacy support to gain access to data held by other government agencies. Ideas included working with revenue authorities and national insurance schemes to report data in aggregate, using aftercare teams to collect information, applying AI tools to analyse data, and surveying firms to identify the skills they need.

A Regional Call to Action

Closing the session, Suzette Hudson, Manager of the CAIPA Secretariat, linked the discussion to two regional challenges: the loss of about 6 in 10 university graduates to emigration, and high youth unemployment. "When we bring investors in, they’re bringing those quality jobs," she said. She encouraged members to review the KPIs, identify those they could begin tracking, and help build a collective Caribbean story that showcases high-quality and decent jobs in the region.

Next Steps

The third webinar, "Roadmaps for More and Better Jobs through Sustainable Investment," takes place on 24 November 2026 and will focus on turning priorities into usable data and practical roadmaps. CAIPA thanks the ILO team for its continued partnership.