28 September, 2007Umicore pledges to respect human and workers' rights in international agreement on sustainable development.
BELGIUM: Umicore, a Belgian metals group specialising in metal technology, chemicals, and catalysts systems, today signed an international framework agreement jointly with the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF) and the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM). The agreement, initiated by the Belgian union, Centrale Chrétienne du Métal de Belgique (CCMB), is for a four-year period and contains language establishing a joint committee to review and monitor the agreement.
The agreement contains six articles: Human Rights, Working Conditions, Environment, Implementation of Agreement, Monitoring, and Validity of Agreement.
Under Human Rights, Umicore pledges to adhere to the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, as well as adherence to International Labour Organisation (ILO) core labour standards, specifically referring to ILO Conventions 87 and 98 on freedom of association and collective bargaining, and other Conventions regarding child labour, forced labour, and non-discrimination and equal opportunities practices.
Under Working Conditions, the company agrees to ILO Convention 100 on fair and adequate remuneration, and pledges not to compromise on safety and health conditions in any workplace. The Environmental principles include a six-point plan centred on sustainable development issues.
"We are pleased to join with the IMF in establishing global standards with Umicore," said ICEM general secretary Manfred Warda. "Umicore is a company that crosses into a number of sectors, including those both in ICEM and IMF's range."
"We are confident that both the IMF and ICEM, through our affiliates, will uphold the very best in social practices at Umicore," said IMF general secretary Marcello Malentacchi.
The framework agreement was co-signed by Belgian labour unions/federations Metaal/FGTB-ABVV, CGSLP-ACLVB, and CSC-ACV, the federation which affiliates CCMB.
Brussels-based Umicore employs 14,000 staff in 35 countries. It began in 1906 as a Belgian mining company in the Congo, and in 2001 changed its name from Union Miniére to Umicore.
A copy of the agreement is published on the IMF website.