Join FLA at the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference in Antalya, Türkiye

Climate change is already affecting workers’ health, particularly workers in climate-vulnerable countries and sectors exposed to extreme heat. However, climate-health discussions often focus on health systems and communities while overlooking the workplace and the millions of workers whose livelihoods depend on climate-exposed industries.

On November 14, join the Fair Labor Association and an expert panel of workers, employers/brands, governments, health experts, and climate actors at COP31 to examine how climate change—particularly extreme heat—is affecting the health, safety, livelihoods, and productivity of workers in global supply chains. 

From Heat to Health: Protecting the Workers Who Power the Global Economy
November 14, 2026
3:30-4:30 PM TRT
World Health Organization Pavilion

Focusing on manufacturing and agriculture linked to garment and footwear supply chains, speakers will connect emerging evidence on heat stress and worker health with practical solutions for employers, brands, policymakers, and workers. Research and experience from Cambodia, India, Italy, Türkiye and other climate-vulnerable countries will illustrate the diverse impacts of extreme heat across supply chains, including occupational health risks, reduced productivity, income insecurity and the disproportionate impacts experienced by workers in vulnerable and lower-income communities.

Panelists also will review the growing body of research, tools and guidance on heat stress developed by researchers, trade associations, civil society and multi-stakeholder initiatives, and consider how these resources can inform workplace adaptation, occupational health and safety measures, responsible purchasing practices, worker participation, and just-transition strategies.

The speaker line up includes Chaimae Azmi, Manager of Research & Development at Fair Labor Association; Hulusi Ögütcüler, Manager of Factory Assessments at Fair Labor Association; Sophia Yang, Founder & Executive Director at Threading Change; Dr. Laurie Parsons, Reader in Human Geography at Royal Holloway, University of London, Rafi Ay, General President of Öz İplik İş; Lucy Siers, Senior Research Scholar, Global Labor, Business and Human Rights at NYU Stern; Barbara Bijelic, Head of Regulation and Standards, Responsible Business Conduct at the OECD.

The event will be livestreamed on the COP31 Health Pavilion website.

On November 9 from 2:30-3:30 PM TRT, FLA’s Vice President, Innovation Burcu Kuğu will be participating in COP31 as a panelist on “Protecting Workers, Women and Youth” at the Just Transition Pavilion for Heat, Health and Human Resilience.