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13 September, 2005ICEM News release No. 19/2005
The ICEM today, 12 September, signed its first Global Framework Agreement in the Materials Sector—a social responsibility code of behaviour with French-based Lafarge, a building materials manufacturer. The agreement was signed in Paris jointly with the global union federation International Federation of Building and Wood Workers (IFBWW), and the World Federation of Building and Woodworkers Unions (WFBWU), a Christian labour federation.
The Global Agreement marks ICEM’s twelfth such international code of standards contract with a multinational enterprise, and the second that has been jointly signed with another global union federation.
“We welcome Lafarge’s commitment to uphold high principles of social responsibility in all global operations, whether it’s on workers’ rights, union recognition, environment, health and safety, or other recognised international work standards,” stated ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs.
IFBWW General Secretary Anita Normark also welcomed the commitment of Lafarge to apply international labour standards at all worksites worldwide. “The value added of the agreement with Lafarge must be seen, that the three federations have a global network of trade unions which are able to monitor the agreement,” said Normark.
“Lafarge is convinced that there can be no sustainable economic success without progress in the fields of social responsibility and environmental protection,” said Christian Herrault, the company’s Executive Vice President for Human Resources and Organisation. “Consequently, this broader vision which goes beyond economic factors to embrace human, labour and environmental aspects has been built into our programmes underpinning performance and managerial processes.”
Herrault added that Lafarge “has consistently valued the central role played by its workforce within the company and signature of this agreement represents a further step forward in our ongoing dialogue with staff.”
The agreement cites the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, the ILO’s Tripartite Declaration of Principles on Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, the United Nations Global Compact, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
The agreement states in its preamble: “Lafarge considers respect for workers’ rights to be a crucial element in sustainable development” and the 172-year-old company “will seek to use the services of those trading partners, subcontractors and suppliers, which recognise and implement principles” contained in the Global Agreement.
Those principals include:
• No forced labour;
• No discrimination in employment;
• No use of child labour;
• Freedom of association and right of workers to collective bargaining;
• Living wages paid at least at the level of national legislation or collective agreements, as applied in the industry/sector concerned;
• Working hours comply with relevant national legislation, national agreements and industry/sector standards;
• Safe and healthy work environment in accordance with ILO Convention 156 and ILO Guidelines for Occupational Health Management Systems; and
• Development of Skills Training for all workers in cooperation with trade unions.
The Lafarge Global Agreement establishes a review process group composed of representatives from company management and the signatory trade union federations that will meet at least annually for review and implementation of the principles in all Lafarge worksites.
Lafarge employs 77,000 workers in 75 countries. The company is the worldwide leader in building materials; number two producer of aggregates and concrete; and the world’s number three producer of gypsum.
The ICEM has 420 affiliated trade unions in 125 countries, encompassing 20 million workers. The IFWBB has 10.5 million members in 281 trade unions, also in 125 countries. The WFBWU represents 1.5 million workers affiliated to 55 Christian unions in 41 countries.
The Global Agreement marks ICEM’s twelfth such international code of standards contract with a multinational enterprise, and the second that has been jointly signed with another global union federation.
“We welcome Lafarge’s commitment to uphold high principles of social responsibility in all global operations, whether it’s on workers’ rights, union recognition, environment, health and safety, or other recognised international work standards,” stated ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs.
IFBWW General Secretary Anita Normark also welcomed the commitment of Lafarge to apply international labour standards at all worksites worldwide. “The value added of the agreement with Lafarge must be seen, that the three federations have a global network of trade unions which are able to monitor the agreement,” said Normark.
“Lafarge is convinced that there can be no sustainable economic success without progress in the fields of social responsibility and environmental protection,” said Christian Herrault, the company’s Executive Vice President for Human Resources and Organisation. “Consequently, this broader vision which goes beyond economic factors to embrace human, labour and environmental aspects has been built into our programmes underpinning performance and managerial processes.”
Herrault added that Lafarge “has consistently valued the central role played by its workforce within the company and signature of this agreement represents a further step forward in our ongoing dialogue with staff.”
The agreement cites the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, the ILO’s Tripartite Declaration of Principles on Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, the United Nations Global Compact, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
The agreement states in its preamble: “Lafarge considers respect for workers’ rights to be a crucial element in sustainable development” and the 172-year-old company “will seek to use the services of those trading partners, subcontractors and suppliers, which recognise and implement principles” contained in the Global Agreement.
Those principals include:
• No forced labour;
• No discrimination in employment;
• No use of child labour;
• Freedom of association and right of workers to collective bargaining;
• Living wages paid at least at the level of national legislation or collective agreements, as applied in the industry/sector concerned;
• Working hours comply with relevant national legislation, national agreements and industry/sector standards;
• Safe and healthy work environment in accordance with ILO Convention 156 and ILO Guidelines for Occupational Health Management Systems; and
• Development of Skills Training for all workers in cooperation with trade unions.
The Lafarge Global Agreement establishes a review process group composed of representatives from company management and the signatory trade union federations that will meet at least annually for review and implementation of the principles in all Lafarge worksites.
Lafarge employs 77,000 workers in 75 countries. The company is the worldwide leader in building materials; number two producer of aggregates and concrete; and the world’s number three producer of gypsum.
The ICEM has 420 affiliated trade unions in 125 countries, encompassing 20 million workers. The IFWBB has 10.5 million members in 281 trade unions, also in 125 countries. The WFBWU represents 1.5 million workers affiliated to 55 Christian unions in 41 countries.