It sets international labour standards which may be legally binding conventions that may be ratified by member states and non-binding recommendations about how to implement conventions. These labour standards aim to defend labour rights but they are aspirational and not mandatory requirements. In this sense probably they are weaker than rights and easier for employers and governments to violate.

On ILO's websbite, many positive results are shown, in terms of research, projects, studies, publications. For example, ILO contributed to bring down child labour by a third since the beginning of the century and supported the liberation of the world's 21 million remaining forced labourers. ILO has supported the development of social protection floors in 136 countries, health protection in 30 countries, maternity benefits in 20 countries, unemployment insurance schemes in 20 countries. Thanks to ILO's project Better Work, in Vietnam, 65% of Better Work factories have increased their sales, 62% have increased production capacity, and 60% have expanded employment.