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Employee Rights

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The company reports on how it complies with nationally and internationally recognised standards relating to employee rights as well as on how it fosters staff involvement in the company and in sustainability management, what goals it has set itself in this regard, what results it has achieved thus far and where it sees risks.

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Treating employees with respect and appreciation is about more than merely complying with the law. It is also a question of actively making the corporate culture contribute to good cooperation. When employees feel engaged, have co-determination rights and feel fulfilled by their work, their motivation is boosted, staff retention is increased and innovation processes are supported. A high degree of employee satisfaction is also frequently reflected in low employee turnover. An internal culture of cooperation and joint development is in particular essential for intensive change processes, e.g. during orientation towards sustainable development.

What needs to be borne in mind?

Please state which nationally and internationally recognised standards relating to employee rights are observed by your company. Insofar as you are a global company, please give details of the extent to which you observe the ILO’s core labour standards and whether you also implement German standards for employees abroad, if applicable. Please also reference occupational health and safety standards and additional measures.
Please include your suppliers’ and service providers’ compliance with standards relating to employee rights in your account. In this context, please also cover any risks relating to employee rights that you believe may arise during your business activities and for your suppliers and service providers.
Be sure to report on the opportunities given to employees to be involved in general change processes on the one hand and specifically in sustainability management on the other. Perhaps you have set up working groups to further develop specific goals within your sustainability strategy or you have put in place a specific suggestion scheme. Please also state how good labour conditions, the observance of union rights and the observance of the employees’ right to information are guaranteed.

Aspect 1:

Report on the goals and planned goal achievement time frames for the observance of employee rights (national and international standards, labour conditions, union rights, employees’ right to information, occupational health and safety, etc.).

Aspect 2:

Report on the strategies and concrete measures for observing employee rights and to involve employees above and beyond the statutory requirements.

Aspect 3:

State how staff participation in the company’s sustainability management is fostered.

Aspect 4:

State whether the company is active internationally. If yes:

  • Whether and, if applicable, how German standards are implemented abroad.
  • Which international regulations are met.

Aspect 5:

Report on the material risks arising from your business activities, your business relations and your products and/or services that are likely to have a negative impact on employee rights.

Employees’ rights are important in Germany – many of them are statutory and are prescribed by collective agreements. The main relevant standards are Germany’s Basic Law and labour law. Major issues include fair pay, protection against unfair dismissal, transparent disciplinary and dismissal practices, and agreements regarding working time, holidays and parental leave. At the global level, the core labour standards of the International Labour Organization (ILO) are especially important.

Employee engagement is not limited to works councils and can go above and beyond the legal standards. It can be financial in nature (e.g. in the case of cooperatives or specific company pension models) or can primarily take the form of employees having the opportunity to play a part in shaping internal workflows and have an influence on important decisions.

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