Solvay announces that it has signed a worldwide social and environmental responsibility agreement with IndustriALL Global Union. The official signing ceremony took place in the presence of Jyrki Raina, General Secretary of IndustriALL, and Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, CEO of Solvay. At the ceremony, Albert Kruft as Secretary of Solvay’s European Works Council, also pledged full support to this global agreement.

With this agreement, Solvay commits to respect international social standards as defined by the International Labor Organization and to comply with the principles of the United Nations Global Compact in all of its operations worldwide, also in countries which have not yet ratified these conventions. Solvay expects its suppliers and sub-contractors to respect these fundamental principles. The agreement furthermore reinforces Solvay’s existing commitments in terms of health & safety at work, the management of risks related to its activities as well as environmental protection.

The signatories are determined to fulfill this agreement in a concrete and dynamic manner. Every year, two joint assessment missions will take place in countries and on sites chosen by IndustriALL, along with IndustriALL officers, Solvay management and trade union representatives. The first mission assesses Solvay’s safety policies and the second mission will review the application of all the agreement’s aspects, including environmental protection, pay levels or relationships with suppliers and subcontractors. “This agreement reflects our aim to foster a rich and well-balanced dialogue with the Group’s employees and their representatives worldwide. It is part of our commitment to sustainable development and determination to ensure compliance with high social standards, wherever Solvay does business. IndustriALL will be a demanding and constructive partner in helping us to implement this agreement,” said Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, CEO of Solvay.

“The challenge for IndustriALL is to ensure that multinational groups act in a dignified manner and respect the rights of their employees throughout the world. Solvay’s voluntary commitment is extremely important because it clearly states to the world the Group’s conviction that social dialogue at an international level is possible as well as essential and represents a source of mutual progress. We know Solvay very well, and we are confident that, together, we will be able to ensure that this agreement is applied as effectively as possible,” said Jyrki Raina, General Secretary of IndustriALL.