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The Saint-Gobain Group wishes to set out the principles of action which govern the activity of all management and employees in the exercise of their professional responsibilities regardless of the country involved.
These principles of action* contribute to the realisation of sustainable development and responsible patterns of growth in accordance with the long-term strategy pursued by the Group.
* They are intended to embody the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, adopted in June 2000.
RESPECT FOR THE LAW
All Group companies are to apply in all areas all laws and regulations in force in those countries where they carry on business.
Particular attention is drawn to the areas described below.
All Group companies shall prohibit all actions which might breach applicable norms of competition law.
They shall refrain from any form of financing political parties or activities, even if allowed under local law.
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They also are to reject all forms of active or passive corruption whether in domestic or international transactions*.
Furthermore, Group companies are to renounce exploiting loopholes or inadequacies in any such laws or regulations where this would mean non-compliance with the norms of the Saint-Gobain Group in the areas described below.
* Covered by the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions of 17th December 1997.
CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Group companies are to actively promote the protection of the environment.
At company sites management methods shall be followed, wherever the site may be located, which allow measurable environmental performance standards to be set, and actual performance to be regularly evaluated and checked against the applicable standards.
They shall strive to raise the main relevant environmental performance standards of their own sites to the level of particularly effective performance standards found in the Group for comparable sites - even if that means going beyond the requirements of local legislation.
WORKER HEALTH AND SAFETY
Group companies are to take particular care to adopt all measures necessary to ensure the best possible protection against health and safety risks in the workplace.
They shall adopt risk reduction policies and follow-up on the due application of the same, checking actual results against the applicable standards. Such policies shall apply both to their
own employees and to employees of sub-contractors where the latter are working on a Group site.
They shall strive to raise the main relevant health and safety performance standards of their own sites to the level of particularly effective performance standards found in the Group for comparable sites - even if that means going beyond the requirements of local legislation.
EMPLOYEE RIGHTS
Group companies are to scrupulously ensure that employees' rights are respected.
They are to promote an active dialogue with their employees.
In addition, and without limitation, they shall respect the following rules, even if not provided for by applicable local law:
1. they shall refrain from any form of recourse to forced labour, compulsory labour or child labour* -- whether directly or indirectly or through sub-contractors where the latter are working on a Group site; and
2. they shall refrain from any form of discrimination of whatever kind with respect to their employees whether in the recruitment process, at hiring, or during or at the end of the employment relationship.
* As defined by the applicable conventions of the International Labour Organisation.
- Principles of conduct
These principles have been precised for their application to the purchasing function in the Group in the document purchasing charter. |
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