VIENNA – The Annual General Meeting of the Staff Union highlighted that UNIDO staff remain steadfast in their commitment to deliver on the Organization’s mandate and fulfil the expectations of beneficiaries despite some inherent uncertainties caused by the necessary reforms.

Upon invitation by the UNIDO Staff Council, the Director General availed himself of the opportunity to address the Annual General Meeting of the UNIDO Staff Union. In his statement, the Director General was able to reassure staff on the direction the Organization was headed, and that his administration was committed to securing political stability and new funding streams. He was also able to convey his confidence that with trust expressed by Member States in the Organization, it was able to rejuvenate, focus on building careers, as well as foster and empower the world’s foremost industrial development experts. To underline his message, he informed staff of recent achievements, gave an outlook on positive changes to come, and provided examples on how UNIDO was increasing its global presence.

 The Union also had the opportunity to reflect on the past year, the challenges encumbered through the reform process, successes achieved, and the work ahead. The President of the Union delivered a heartfelt message on the importance of healthy staff-management relations, the effectiveness of cordial and honest negotiations, as well as on the state of the Union, its members, and ambitions. The meeting communicated clearly that staff was the Organization’s most valuable asset. As such, maintaining its health and commitment required a renewed focus on duty of care.

Clear and strategic communication was identified as a recurring challenge, but the meeting served as an important first step in finding solutions and strengthening the organizational culture. The Union could take away some good impulses on how UNIDO as a workplace would improve going forward, looking at reintroducing career and promotion mechanisms, filling vacant positions, growing teams, and discussing modern personnel policy that would transform UNIDO into a modern and progressive employer.

The Director General was positively able to reaffirm the value of the staff’s stakeholdership in securing the Organization’s success and confirmed that the future of the Organization will be built on inclusiveness and cooperation. The Director General and the President of the Staff Council assured each other of their commitment towards working together in good faith and building upon the strengths of the Organization.