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Global Scale of Digital Wages - Final evaluation

eval_number:

3257

eval_url:

https://webapps.ilo.org/ievaldiscovery/eval/3257

location:

country:

Inter-Regional

region:

Inter-Regional

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eval_title:

Global Scale of Digital Wages - Final evaluation

recommendations:

date:

2026-06-10 00:00:00.0

themes:

theme:

Organizational issues

category:

Programme sustainability

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comments:

Building on the initial achievements and with a view to sustaining and scaling adoption, the ongoing second phase of the project (2025-2027) is progressively mainstreaming the theme of digital wage payments across ILO programmes and projects related to MSME development, productivity, formalization, wage protection, social protection, and decent work in supply chains. Notable examples include the integration of a digital wage component into SME development projects in Mozambique (MozTrabalha – in the forestry sector) and Egypt (Productivity Ecosystem for Decent Work project – in the leather tanning sector) as well as into wage policy initiative in Ethiopia (Setting Adequate Wages in Agriculture – in the horticulture sector) in 2026. The project will continue to pursue this approach to further scale and sustain progress.

management_response:

Completed

progress:

Achieved

admin_units:

SFU

title:

Recommendation 3: Develop clear scaling and sustainability strategies Justification: The project achieved strong outreach in the four focus countries, surpassing the initial expectations in terms of participating companies. However, it is not yet clear how the initiative will continue to expand or be maintained once external funding ends. Establishing a strategy for scaling and sustained implementation is therefore essential to ensure the project’s benefits endure and can be replicated across additional contexts. Possible actions: The strategy should draw on lessons learned from the project to date as well as from comparable ILO initiatives, and examine the regulatory, financial, institutional, economic and social conditions needed for digital wage payments to scale effectively. It could explore opportunities for collaboration with other programmes and identify ways to mainstream digital wage approaches within and beyond ILO programmes, including through sectoral strategies or value chain engagement – leveraging references to digital wages in the P&B 2026-27. Trade-offs between focusing on large or small companies, as well as on urban or rural areas, should be addressed. The strategy could include a compelling business case that demonstrates the benefits for employers and governments and may also involve placing greater emphasis on policy dialogue and institutional engagement in implementing countries, even if this requires prioritising such work over additional piloting.

project_symbols:

GLO/20/34/GAT

url:

https://webapps.ilo.org/ievaldiscovery/recommendations/2376527

information_source:

Head Quarters

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