Introduction
We support the protection and elevation of human rights in the countries within which we operate and are guided by the fundamental principles as set out in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Global Compact and the ILO’s Declaration on Fundamental Principals and Rights to work. We support the UN Guiding principles and accept our corporate responsibility to respect human rights. Our support for these fundamental principles is reflected in our policies and actions towards our associates, suppliers, customers and the communities that we affect, within the countries that we conduct our business.
Our Associates
We believe that our associates should be treated with respect and dignity and work in an environment that is free from harassment and unlawful discrimination. All associates should be able to work in an environment that is free from discrimination, victimisation, harassment, bullying and that they should be treated fairly and with dignity regardless of their background or categorisation, or any views they may hold. Our position on human rights is communicated to our associates and our associates are expected to uphold these standards. Associates are encouraged to raise relevant issues and report suspected violations of applicable laws, regulations and policies.
Our Suppliers
We strive to promote adherence to the human rights principles throughout our supply chains by encouraging actions that are consistent with our Supplier Code of Ethics and by using suppliers whose corporate values are consistent with ours. Specifically, suppliers are encouraged to follow best practice in areas such as Business Ethics, Employment Standards and the Environment and to understand the impact of their products and services in order to mitigate any negative effects they might have on their stakeholders. We see our relationships with our suppliers as an opportunity to share best practice and through open communication, to promote continual learning and improvement with respect to human rights.
Our Clients
In order to further drive best practice for improving human rights within our zone of influence, it is important to us to develop partnerships with other organisations that share our values. In doing so we openly welcome inspection and auditing processes that aim to develop more robust and transparent human rights systems within our business.