“Today is amendment day at the ILO. Our work here is not a product but a continual process. It is preserved not by monuments but deeds. Sometimes it needs refining; sometimes it needs amending; sometimes it needs defending. Always, it needs improving.” Kris De Meester, employer delegate Belgium

“If you don’t find any merit in the report, at least the merit is that it is short, only 26 pages, 15 times shorter than the previous one. You should all read it.” Guy Rider, Director-General ILO about his report

“Come a gutsa!” Phil O’Reilly, Chief Executive, Business New Zealand using a New Zealand expression after finalizing the text on sustainable development in the drafting group.

“The ILO that doesn’t have a strong tripartite supervisory mechanism is not an ILO that can fulfill it’s ambitions and your demands” Guy Rider, Director-General ILO commenting on the difficult CAS discussions

“In their General Survey, the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations should provide an overview of law and practice relating to the instruments under examination, including the status of compliance with these instruments in the case of ratifying countries. They should not assess the usefulness of particular provisions, or the terms of the Conventions examined; neither should they call for ratification of the Conventions. Doing so is beyond their mandate.” Sonia Regenbogen, employer delegate Canada

“The financial and economic crises that the world has witnessed since 2008 and the tragedy of mass unemployment that has prevailed in many countries highlight the importance of the ILO and the vital social and economic role it plays globally.”  Dr. Nidal Katamine, Labour Minister of Jordan and elected President of the International Labour Conference

“The world of work is facing unprecedented challenges to reconcile its future with that of the planet and the ILO needs to be centre stage in that process of transition.” Guy Rider, Director-General ILO

“I’m colour-blind when it comes to job creation. No green/brown/white/grey jobs but decent work for all (in the real economy)! Kris De Meester, employer delegate Belgium

“Employment is the best social protection measure in tackling the new demographic context.” Tanya Cohen (South-Africa), employers spokesperson new demographic context committee