In spring of this year, several companies bearing the so-called ‘green smiley’ (Krone Smiley) – a certification issued by the Danish Working Environment Authority (Arbejdstilsynet), which is supposed to guarantee a high-quality working environment – were tarnished by a scandal. It came as Siemens Wind Power, a company that has been certified, saw a number of its former employees file compensation cases against the company for what they claimed were illnesses suffered through the use of chemical products including epoxide. On 21 November, the country’s labour ministry announced new measures to make the certification more reliable.
Following calls from trade unions, in particular from the LO (workers’ confederation) and the 3F trade union, the government was on the receiving end of questions over how valid the certification can be deemed to be, following revelations of blatant shortcomings on the part of companies, such as Siemens (see article n°9707). It actually emerged that once companies had satisfied the necessary requirements for certification, and once the relevant body had issued a Krone Smiley, it would then not
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