Solvay, Europe works council agree ‘charter’

27 November 2008 19:51  [Source: ICIS news]

TORONTO (ICIS news)--Belgian chemicals major Solvay and its European works council on Thursday agreed on a charter to promote corporate social responsibility and sustainable development while overcoming traditional divisions between employer and workers.

 

Solvay’s European works council represents the company’s workers in 12 European countries.

 

With the charter, Solvay and the council would define common objectives in the areas of social responsibility and sustainable development, they said.

 

“The old divides such as the permanent opposition between employers and trades unions are definitely a thing of the past,” said works council member Noel Tritz.

 

“We urgently need to share our responsibilities,” he added.

 

Said Solvay CEO Christian Jourquin: “The group’s [Solvay’s] management now will make an effort to ensure that its action plan really absorbs the results of the dialogue with the European works council and the principles expressed in this charter.”

 

The foundation of the charter were a number of principles, including equal opportunities, promotion of diversity, free job choice, rejection of child labour and social dialogue.

 

Also included were training and competencies, job safety, wages, health and safety of individuals and environment, as well as well-being at work, Solvay and the council said in a joint statement.

 

The deal was signed in Brussels in the presence of Kristin Schreiber, head of cabinet of the European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.

 

“I am delighted the Solvay group and the members of its European works council have written this charter, which is addressing sustainable development in both a social and environmental sense,” Schreiber said.

 

“We do expect a lot of this group in regard to this matter,” she added.

 

In August, Germany's chemical employers and union IG BCE agreed on an ethics code, the first such arrangement covering a whole sector.

 

For more on Solvay visit ICIS company intelligence

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By: Stefan Baumgarten
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