Shaping Sustainability: Leveraging Insights and Addressing Challenges from the Project
Within the framework of the “Living Wages in the Banana Sector of Costa Rica” project, participatory workshops were held on March 12 and 13 in Guápiles, Limón, Costa Rica, with key stakeholders, marking an important milestone in the final phase of this initiative, implemented in collaboration with the German Retailers’ Working Group on Living Wages.
To create space for dialogue, reflection, and joint work, GIZ Costa Rica organised a workshop within the framework of the working group once again this year. The objective was to assess progress achieved, distil key insights, and develop strategies to sustainably secure the project’s results.
On 12 March, representatives of trade unions from the banana sector participated, together with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MTSS) and the International Labour Organization (ILO). The following day, representatives from private companies, CORBANA, MTSS, and the ILO were invited to reflect on the project’s outputs.
Participants were invited to use LEGO bricks as a tool to discuss the positive outcomes of the project in Costa Rica, as well as remaining gaps to successfully continue the pathway towards living wages. They were asked to represent the project as a structure of their choice. Bridges were a popular metaphor, illustrating that while the foundation is already strong, key connecting elements are still missing.
Insights
Based on these exercises, several key factors were identified as critical for advancing and sustaining the living wage agenda in the banana sector:
- Stakeholder engagement and commitment: Active participation and clear commitment from all actors were identified as essential.
- Multi-stakeholder dialogue: A functioning and continuous dialogue between stakeholders was considered indispensable for fostering collaboration, transparency, and joint problem-solving. At the same time, the need to define clear formats to ensure the continuity of these processes was emphasised.
- Market conditions and sustainability: One of the central challenges relates to the long-term viability of wage-related measures, particularly in light of economic conditions. The banana market—shaped by supply and demand dynamics, exchange rate fluctuations, and income variability—limits the ability to sustainably secure wage increases.
- Evidence-based technical approach: Stakeholders stressed the importance of building methodologies and tools on official national data and accessible sources to ensure transparency in determining minimum and living wages. In this context, the need to develop wage benchmarks adapted to the national context was particularly highlighted.
Overall, the discussions made clear that, despite the progress achieved, significant challenges remain in implementing the living wage agenda. This underlines the need for continued collaboration, shared responsibility, and long-term commitment from all stakeholders involved.