Unilever, the IUF and IndustriAll affirm their joint commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion within Unilever’s non-management workforce. Preventing sexual harassment in the workplace is an essential foundation for promoting a culture of inclusion and diversity. Our common commitment builds on efforts by Unilever, the IUF, IndustriAll and their respective regional organizations, affiliates and European members working through the UEWC.
This joint statement outlines the standards, principles and practices on which Unilever, the IUF and IndustriAll commit to work together to ensure this goal is achieved.
Statement of Intent
Sexual harassment is a serious offence which is unlawful in many countries
around the world. Sexual harassment is considered a form of discrimination
under one of the Core Conventions of the ILO, C111 on Discrimination in Respect
of Employment and Occupation.
Sexual harassment can cause severe distress and ill health and can lead to the victim giving up her/his job. Sexual harassment is a universal problem. Women workers, particularly those in plantations, export processing zones, contingent, temporary and/or migrant workers can be particularly vulnerable.
Most sexual harassment is carried out by men against women. Sexual harassment can also take place on the basis of sexual orientation. It can be perpetrated by colleagues, supervisors, managers or clients.
Sexual harassment undermines equality, damages working relationships and impairs productivity.It can take many forms and may include:
-Any insult or inappropriate remark, joke, insinuation and comment on a person’s dress, physique, age, family situation, etc:
-A condescending or paternalistic attitude with sexual implications undermining dignity:
-Any unwelcome invitation or request, implicit or explicit, whether or not accompanied by threats;
-Any lascivious look or other gesture associated with sexuality;
- And any unnecessary physical contact such as touching, caresses, pinching or assault
Employees are particularly vulnerable to sexual harassment if it occurs in a situation where exposure to harassment is perceived as a condition of employment or a precondition for employment or may influence employment conditions and/or career development.
Unilever, the IUF and IndustriAll wish to ensure that all employees, including employees provided by third party labour suppliers, are aware of what constitutes sexual harassment and that they understand fully what is expected of them, know how to raise a potential issue, and feel confident to report any alleged abuses.
We have jointly identified actions and best practices to be communicated to Unilever Companies and affiliated Unions, to enable concrete action and further follow up.
Principles, Procedures and Processes for stopping sexual harassment in the workplace
The procedures agreed to between the IUF, IndustriAll and Unilever are based on the following principles:
•Sexual harassment is a disciplinary offence
•Cases of sexual harassment will be investigated confidentially and handled in a manner that ensures the confidentiality of the persons involved and within strict timescales
•In cases of sexual harassment it is the perpetrator and not the person making the complaint who will, where necessary, be redeployed
•The Company will train all staff and managers on the policy and their responsibilities under it
•The Company will monitor cases of sexual harassment to identify where further action might be appropriate
The IUF and IndustriAll have developed policies based on international
standards against sexual harassment and will work with their affiliates to
promote and implement them through awareness-raising and training programs and
collective bargaining.
Unilever will not tolerate retaliation or victimization against employees who identify and raise issues relating to any form of sexual harassment or who lodge complaints and/or participate in any proceedings relating to alleged sexual harassment either directly with management or through the individual or collective grievance procedures in place. Unilever will work with legitimate trade unions to ensure that the existing processes can be fully used and that additional channels can also be opened where existing processes prove inadequate.
Trade Union representatives play a key role:
•With management, on advising their members of what constitutes Sexual Harassment in the workplace
•Working on awareness-raising and training
•Assisting employees/members to raise complaints and issues either through the Unilever Code process or via the established individual or collective grievance procedures and/or national legislation
Next steps
Unilever, the IUF and IndustriAll believe that concrete actions are required to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. Unilever sees these steps as fundamental to ensuring it’s diversity and inclusion goals. Unilever welcomes the involvement of the IUF and IndustriALL in identifying areas of higher risk, identifying best practice, raising awareness and monitoring progress.
To ensure effective action to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace based on the above principles, local management and trade unions shall:
•Where a document with comparable standards and procedures does not already exist, agree and document a clear and precise local policy on sexual harassment, complaints procedures and mechanisms for dispute resolution/grievance handling based on international standards and national legal and collective bargaining law and practice. The procedure shall ensure that
A)sexual harassment cases are handled by persons of confidence with specific training in this area
B)all complaints concerning sexual harassment are to be investigated securely, expeditiously and confidentially
C)investigation of complaints is to be carried out by independent persons/structures as defined by the Code of Business principles procedure and/ or other mutually agreed arrangements
D)complainants in all cases must be informed of their legal rights
E)the outcome of the complaint investigation is formally recorded and communicated to and reviewed by the complainant
F)sanctions on those found to have engaged in sexual harassment are clearly stipulated
G)full protection and support is given to the victims of sexual harassment throughout the process and its outcome
•Take adequate measures to ensure that local management and trade union members and representatives are fully aware of the relevant international standards with regard to sexual harassment and the procedures outlined in Unilever’s Code of Business principles.
•Where there are areas of higher risk, e.g. plantations, where high levels of temporary labour have been employed and where there are high numbers of females supervised by a majority of males, specific awareness and training measures should be agreed and deployed by management and the trade union. The Unilever- IUF - IndustriALL Joint Working Party will assist with this process where required and will monitor and share experiences and best practice
•Agree on regular review procedures to monitor progress
Local union/management discussions on implementing the above procedures shall commence following the signing of this joint commitment, with completion in 2016.
The Joint Working Party may also identify areas where they feel risks are higher and propose and follow up on such actions as appropriate.
London, Geneva, 26.01.2016
Paul Polman
Chief Executive Officer
Ron Oswald
General Secretary IUF
Jyrki Raini,
General Secretary
IndustriAll Global Union