2. THE CORPORATE BUSINESS COMMUNITY

Section 2.1 - The Employed - Conditions

Principles
2.1.P.1
The company is guided by the various International Labour Organisation's (ILO) standards as a minimum governing its employment practices and industrial relations. This standard includes genuine respect for employees' right to freedom of association, labour organization, free collective bargaining, non-discrimination in employment and a safe and healthy working environment provided for all employees.

2.1.P.2
The company does not discriminate on the basis of gender, racial/ethnic origin, social or ethnic origin, culture, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, nationality, citizenship or political opinion.

2.1.P.3
The company values all its employees in terms of their social, intellectual, economic and personal contribution to the company in every sector of its operations.

2.1.P.4
The company ensures that each employee is treated with respect and dignity.

2.1.P.5
The company ensures its labour force and managerial employees are proportionally representative of the communities in which it operates.

2.1.P.6
The company seeks to maximize long term contractual relationships with its employees and to safeguard employees' future employability.

2.1.P.7
The company pays sustainable living wages, which enables employees to meet the basic needs of themselves and their families, as well as to invest in the on-going sustainability of local communities through the use of discretionary income.

2.1.P.8
The company provides equal pay for work of equal value.

2.1.P.9
The company ensures work schedules that are reasonable and enable employees and their families to live in a sustained and healthful manner; the company does not rely on production based on unpaid labour.

2.1.P.10
The company recognizes the need for supporting and/or providing the essential social infrastructure of child care, elder care and community service in order to facilitate access to employment and the full participation of employees in the workplace.

Criteria
2.1.C.1
The company ensures that no person is subject to any discrimination in employment, including recruitment, hiring, remuneration, benefits, advancement, discipline, termination, or retirement, on the basis of gender, racial/ethnic origin, social or ethnic origin, culture, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, nationality or political opinion.

2.1.C.2
The company accommodates the cultural, religious and social needs of employees.

2.1.C.3
The company ensures that no employee is subject to any physical, sexual, psychological or verbal harassment or abuse.

2.1.C.4
The company has a policy, which prohibits health testing as a condition of employment including pregnancy testing.

2.1.C.5
The company actively recruits and employs for all positions at all levels, including management, from the local population.

2.1.C.6
Training, development, promotion and advancement opportunities within the company are available to all employees of the company, regardless of status, whether full-time, part-time, short-term, permanent, or with any other contracts of employment.

2.1.C.7
All who work within and on the company's premises, whether permanent, temporary or contracted employees, including those engaged in day labour, receive equal protection, especially in provision of equipment and information concerning their health and safety at work. This information is provided in the languages of the workers.

2.1.C.8
The company recognizes the responsibilities of all its workers to their families, and provides paid maternity, paternity, family and compassionate leave.

2.1.C.9
The company supports and/or provides the essential social infrastructure of child care, elder care and community services which allow workers, especially women who have traditionally done this work as unpaid labour, to participate as employees.

2.1.C.10
Employees are free to organize and join workers' organizations without discrimination or interference and to engage freely in collective negotiations to regulate the terms and conditions of employment. No employee is discriminated against for engaging in union organizing and collective bargaining activities and other worker committees.

2.1.C.11
The company has in place programmes, policies and practices with specific goals and time lines to ensure equal pay for work of equal value.

2.1.C.12
The company ensures that, as a minimum, all employees are paid a wage, which, at least, provides sufficient purchasing power to enable employees to meet the basic needs of themselves and their families.

2.1.C.13
The company uses an established process to calculate a sustainable living wage. The process to determine a sustainable living wage is used in each of the geographic areas where workers live.

2.1.C.14
The company limits overtime work to a level that ensures humane working conditions, especially for young workers.

2.1.C.15
In situations where corporate restructuring is taking place, the company provides the opportunity for redeployment and retraining of employees in order to offer sustainable patterns of employment.

2.1.C.16
The company implements a standard grievance procedure allowing for progressive steps and channels to resolve grievances, where in the case of a grievance not being resolved at company level, provision is made for the employee to follow the appropriate legal route. The company undertakes to inform workers of their rights and assists them in this regard.

2.1.C.17
The company agrees to implement a grievance procedure, which is easily understood by workers.

2.1.C.18
The company adopts a policy not to discriminate against employees exercising their basic rights.

2.1.C.19
The company limits overtime work to minimum levels, and further endeavours to reduce overtime with a view to increasing overall employment levels whilst addressing the health needs of workers.

Bench Marks
2.1.B.1
The company adheres to ILO conventions regarding basic employment practices, equality of opportunity, and the elimination of all forms of discrimination.

2.1.B.2
The company adheres to the principles set out in the International Labour Organisation Conventions on Freedom of Association and Free Collective Bargaining.

2.1.B.3
The company makes available to independent monitors the work records of employees when there is question of discrimination against labour organizing or other collective bargaining activities.

2.1.B.4
The company pays all legally mandated benefits as a minimum standard.

2.1.B.5
The company does not require employees to work overtime on a regular basis and does not require young employees to work overtime. Employees may refuse overtime without any threat of penalty, punishment, demotion or dismissal.

2.1.B.6
The company keeps a record of all grievances lodged, how they were resolved and actions pending against the company.

2.1.B.7
The company reports publicly on the frequency of training and education of workers on their rights and responsibilities in line with best practice and industry developments. It undertakes such training that is free and compensated.

2.1.B.8
The company does not adopt the quota system for production or any forms of penalty.

2.1.B.9
Formal redundancy/layoff policies are only adopted as a last resort.