The ILO was built on the basic principle and belief that universal and lasting peace can be accomplished only if it is based on social justice. It has unique structure: it is the only international tripartite organisation; the only one of its kind bringing together representatives of governments, employers and workers in its executive bodies.

The ILO accomplishes its work through three main bodies:
• the International Labour Conference, (supreme body)
• the Governing body (with executive function) and
• the Office (as permanent secretariat)

The International Labour Conference meets once a year in June, in Geneva. Each Member State is represented by a delegation consisting of two government delegates, an employer delegate, a worker delegate, and their respective advisers. Employer and Worker delegates are nominated in agreement with the most representative national organizations of employers and workers. Every delegate has the same rights, and all can express themselves freely and vote as they wish. Worker and employer delegates may sometimes vote against their government's representatives or against each other. The Conference establishes and adopts international labour standards and is a forum for discussion of key social and labour questions. It also adopts the Organization's budget and elects the Governing Body.
CEA’s representatives participate each year at the International Labour Conference as sole representatives of employers in Croatian tripartite delegation.

The Governing Body is the executive body of the International Labour Organization. It meets three times a year, in March, June and November. It takes decisions on ILO policy, decides the agenda of the International Labour Conference, adopts the draft Programme and Budget of the Organization for submission to the Conference, and elects the Director-General.
It is composed of 56 titular members (28 Governments, 14 Employers and 14 Workers) and 66 deputy members (28 Governments, 19 Employers and 19 Workers). Ten of the titular government seats are permanently held by States of chief industrial importance (Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States). The other Government members are elected by the Conference every three years (the last elections were held in June 2008). The Employer and Worker members are elected in their individual capacity.

CEA’s Lidija Horvatić, Director of the EU policies and International Relations Department, was elected in this prestigious body in its fifth mandate.

ILO currently has 185 members. Republic of Croatia became ILO Member State in 1992.