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Freedom of association and collective bargaining

Teacher and students during class

 

We empower workers and employees by supporting their right to establish and join unions.

We also respect the rights of those organizations to carry out their activities without any interference. We believe that engaged workers who feel they are playing an active part in initiating change and making continuous improvements in their own working lives can help us make a more positive impact.

Promoting this aspect of workers’ human rights is enshrined in our Employee Relations Policy (pdf, 3Mb) and our Responsible Sourcing Standard (pdf, 2.5Mb). More widely, we see it as an important component of building a culture of trust and mutual respect within our business, particularly in the transition to a fairer food system. 

52.7 %

 

Open, transparent and fair negotiations

Having a direct line of dialogue with our employees and their union representatives helps our workforce feel motivated by having a vested interest in setting the terms of its future. It also fully engages everyone in our business objectives. We hold regular talks over terms of employment, working conditions and health and safety. Such collective bargaining and worker representation means we are aligned with the founding principles of the International Labor Organization and helps ensure we remain competitive as a company. 

In addition, it acts as a vital component in the fight against modern slavery. Since 2013, we have held active dialogues with the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF).

fair negotiations

Our key actions

  • Further strengthen our Responsible Sourcing Standard
  • Further strengthen our capacity and our suppliers' capacity to assess and prevent risks
  • Maintain a high level of awareness among global and local teams
  • Continue our engagement and dialogue with employee and union representatives
  • Drive further awareness about our grievance mechanism and develop capacities among our suppliers
Creating Shared Value and Sustainability Report cover