Bangladesh: pay rise after unprecedented strike by garment workers Corporate practices Textile workers win a 56% pay rise after a week of unprecedented strike action. Ten years on from the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory, the finger is once again being pointed at multinational brands.
Spain: Axa recognises employees’ right to be informed about AI use Corporate practices The new collective agreement at the Spanish business of insurance group Axa, signed on 29 September, introduces an obligation on the part of company management to be transparent with employees regarding data analysis and the use of algorithms in the selection, assessment and career development of individuals. This is the first major company agreement to take account of the challenges posed by the role of artificial intelligence.
United Kingdom: employers make a commitment on homelessness Corporate practices At a time when thousands of workers are facing housing difficulties, 75 employers in the UK have signed up to the "Homelessness Covenant" in recent weeks. By doing so, they pledge to take broad action to support employees experiencing homelessness or at risk of losing their home. Among the signatories are water supplier Thames Water, fast-food chain Pret A Manger and online bank Monzo, which also helped to draft the covenant.
CSR: survey results suggest employees feel their company is not doing enough Corporate practices Although CSR is becoming an increasingly central topic along with ecological transition and European regulations, Corporate Social Responsibility is still struggling to take a foothold within organisations. Thus the finding of an international survey* published by the Cegos Observatory on 28 June,…
United Kingdom: Zurich Insurance offers tax-free loans to staff so they can make their homes more energy efficient Corporate practices The UK business of Swiss insurance group Zurich is to offer its 5,000 employees the opportunity to take out interest and tax-free loans of up to £10,000 (€11,206),…
United Kingdom: several large firms commit to reserve roles for military veterans Corporate practices Six international companies have signed up to the 15,000 Futures programme in the UK. This innovative scheme, launched by Australian social impact firm WithYouWithMe (WYWM), aims to help military veterans and their partners find a job, including by providing them with free online training in new forms of technology.
France: companies step up efforts to combat domestic violence (study) Corporate practices On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the French office of the International Labour Organization has published a paper on the policies on domestic violence adopted by 18 large companies. The research reveals a broad scope of measures taken by firms in this area, to provide support, raise awareness and promote social dialogue, with many adopting a global policy.
Free Deloitte to train all employees on climate issues Corporate practices On 26 September, and one year after presenting its first climate change training program that has benefited 330,000 employees (c.f.…
United Kingdom: supermarkets give staff a helping hand amid rising inflation Corporate practices Shopping vouchers, free meals and even a second pay rise in the same year – a host of measures have been announced in the UK retail sector to support staff amid rising prices. Such measures also serve to make employment in the sector more attractive, as it grapples with staff shortages.
Free United Kingdom: John Lewis Partnership to give staff free meals this winter Corporate practices The John Lewis Partnership, which owns the eponymous department store chain as well as Waitrose supermarkets, announced on 31 August that it is to give its some 80,000 employees free meals between 3 October and 6 January.…
