RESPECTING HUMAN RIGHTS SEC 3 54 RESPECTING HUMAN RIGHTS Protecting the Rights of Migrant Workers In our business, we substantially employ migrant workers and acknowledge their contribution to our operations. We are guided by the Group’s Guidelines and Procedures for Responsible Recruitment and Employment of Migrant Workers (GPRRMW) to ensure that we adopt practices that are in line with international standards. In 2023, following a more rigorous monitoring mechanism three recruitment agencies were suspended for not adhering to FGV’s ethical and responsible recruitment requirements. OUR INITIATIVES Our ongoing initiatives in safeguarding rights and ensuring no forced labour practices include: Prohibition of Child Labour Child labour prevention is imperative as it safeguards the well-being and future prospects of children, ensuring they have the opportunity for proper development. Additionally, ethical business practices that prohibit child labour contribute to building a positive reputation for companies, fostering trust among consumers and stakeholders. OUR INITIATIVES In 2021, we supported the National Pledge against Child Labour Campaign, an initiative by the Ministry of Human Resources of Malaysia, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) Malaysia. FGV’s pledge and commitment against child labour continues to be a priority. This year, we continued our steadfast commitment to this issue: This covers the adoption of a No Recruitment Fees policy for migrant workers, strictly prohibiting any entity from charging recruitment fees to the workers. Furthermore, we strengthened our due diligence procedures concerning the selection of recruitment agencies: Collaborated with Project Liber8, a local NGO focusing on raising public awareness of the issues of human trafficking for the following initiatives: • Organised six workshops on the issues of child labour and child trafficking for the students, their parents and teachers of FGV’s Community Learning Centres (CLCs) to raise awareness and empower them with prevention steps from being victims • Adopted and implemented the NGO’s module on child labour and child trafficking at our CLCs to ensure students have a better understanding • Adopted the Policy Statements and Guidelines on Respecting and Protection Children’s Rights, reiterating our zero tolerance across our operations. The Guidelines cover but are not limited to: Equal treatment of children Access to education Prevention of child labour Adequate living conditions for children’s development Child protection 1 A pre-sourcing mechanism is implemented to assess prospective agencies based on their commitment to human rights and labour standards. 2 A due diligence exercise is conducted in source countries, evaluating agencies on operational processes and facilities. Workers are asked by a third-party organisation if they had paid any recruitment fees and reimbursements will be made accordingly once validated. 3 Workers are interviewed upon their arrival in Malaysia to assess their recruitment experience. Workers are also asked if they had paid any recruitment fees. Any claims of recruitment fee payment will be reimbursed upon validation. 4 Additionally, training sessions on responsible and ethical recruitment are provided to the agencies. • Thoroughly brief workers on their rights, terms of employment, responsibilities, entitlements and benefits, and nature of work One-Stop-Centres in Malaysia, India and Indonesia • Mitigate the potential risks of forced labour practices • Conducted 21 training sessions, involving an estimated 2,182 participants during the year, to educate them on the 11 ILO Indicators of forced labour Training sessions • Take care of workers’ well-being through our 13 clinics, approved by the Ministry of Health, at our various plantations in remote areas • Equip all workers with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at no cost • Enhancement of medical benefits for operational labour with unlimited annual medical allowance (previously capped at RM200) Healthcare clinics
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