Labour Standard Policy
MDD Europe Ltd. | Labour Standard Policy
Last Updated: January 1st, 2022
Resulting from our business operations, MDD Europe Ltd. (MDD) acknowledges its obligations towards its employees, stakeholders and the communities in which it works, and has outlined below its policy in relation to labour standards.
This policy is relevant to MDD itself, our contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers, freelancers, members of the public and other parties engaged with the MDD's business.
MDD has identified the following compelling reasons to establish a comprehensive system of minimum labour standards to guide its business operations:
1. Ethical Responsibilities – MDD acknowledges its obligations towards its employees, shareholders and the communities in which we work and operate. MDD wishes to carry out work and to do business in an ethical fashion.
2. Adverse Publicity and Damage to MDD’s Reputation – adverse publicity from the discovery of poor labour standards within MDD’s business operations presents reputational and structural risks to MDD not only in terms of revenue, but also in respect of staff recruitment and retention. Poor labour standards can also lead to a loss of trust and confidence with suppliers and also within the wider community. MDD therefore wants to do what is right and be seen to do what is right.
3. Reduced Quality of Service – MDD recognizes that there is commonly a link between poor labour standards and poor quality of services. To this end, it is in the interest of MDD to ensure that MDD always reaches and exceeds minimum labour standards requirements.
To help identify a defined set of minimum labour standards, MDD has referred to the following resources:
Social Accountability International’s SA8000 document; The UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights; European Convention Human Rights; and Human Rights Act 1998.
These minimum labour standards are:
1. Child Labour – MDD does not and will not engage in or support the use of child labour. If MDD engages any young workers (e.g. on work experience), it will ensure that a suitable risk assessment is carried out and that young persons are not exposed to any hazardous conditions, or in any case work more than 8 hours per day. MDD respects and supports children’s rights consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Children’s Rights and Business Principles (CRBP).
2. Forced or Compulsory Labour – MDD shall not engage in or support the use of forced or compulsory labour, or bonded or involuntary prison labour. Employees are free to leave after providing reasonable notice in line with their individual contracts of employment.
3. Health and Safety – MDD shall provide a safe and healthy workplace environment and shall take effective steps to prevent potential accidents and injuries to employee's health by minimizing, so far as is reasonably practicable, and in co-operation with its employees, workers and other members of staff, the causes of hazards inherent in the workplace. All employees will receive safety and job specific health and safety instructions during the course of their employment with MDD. Employees shall have access to clean sanitary facilities and drinking water.
4. Freedom of Association – freedom of association is respected and MDD will comply with UK and the Republic of Ireland labour relations legislation (as appropriate) in this regard.
5. Discrimination – MDD shall not engage in or support any discriminatory practices in recruitment, remuneration, access to training, promotion, termination, or retirement based on gender (including gender reassignment), marital status, family status, religious belief, disability, age, racial grounds (race, colour, nationality or ethnic origin, including membership of the traveller community), sexual orientation or other conditions that could give rise to discrimination.
6. Disciplinary Practices – MDD shall treat all employees and members of staff with dignity and respect. MDD shall not engage in or tolerate the use of corporal punishment, mental or physical coercion, harassment, intimidation, or verbal abuse of personnel. No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed and MDD shall ensure that no disciplinary procedure is operated except as per MDD's Dignity at Work and Disciplinary Policies.
7. Working Hours – MDD shall comply with applicable laws and industry standards on working hours and holiday entitlements. MDD’s normal working hours do not exceed 48 hours per week, and overtime hours do not exceed 12 hours per week, with the relevant periods of rest similarly observed. MDD ensures that all employees have the legal right to be employed in the UK or the Republic of Ireland (as appropriate).
8. Remuneration - MDD shall comply with national laws and regulations with regard to wages and benefits. All work-related activities are carried out on the basis of a recognized employment relationship established according to national law and practice. All members of staff are remunerated in a way which is in excess of the national minimum wage in the UK or the Republic of Ireland as is appropriate. MDD is committed to the Living Wage for staff other than those on formalized training programs.
MDD also commits to:
- Compliance with relevant legal and other requirements to which MDD subscribes;
- Ensuring that all our key contractors, sub-contractors and suppliers are aware of this policy; and
- Making available sufficient resources for the implementation of this policy.