Report on the Implementation of the derogation to ... - Trade Websites

Final <strong>Report</strong>
RoO Derogation under the PACP-IEPA
Relations Officer. Workers responses to the effectiveness of grievance handling procedures
were mixed.
• Code of Conduct - Each cannery has policies and procedures in place concerning staff
conduct and subsequent disciplinary action if Codes of Conduct are breached. Companies
adopt a zero tolerance policy for issues such as sexual harassment, fighting and stealing,
with staff potentially dismissed instantly.
• Training - Under PNG taxation law, canneries are entitled to a tax rebate of 2% of the annual
salary budget which is to be used specifically for staff training. Upon recruitment, all staff
attend an induction course (usually one day). Training is also provided in areas such as postharvest
handling, quality assurance/HAACP, machine operations for production staff and
team building/leadership for supervisory/management level staff. Cannery management
state that annual training budgets consistently exceed the 2 % training levy.
• Hygiene/sanitation - There have been past anecdotal reports of unsanitary working
conditions, particularly with respect to staff toilets and showers. 82 Sanitation crews are
specifically allocated to the cleaning of staff toilets and showers regularly during shifts and
maintenance staff are on hand to attend to any plumbing issues that may arise.
iii) Private Social Standards – BSCI and SA 8000
Under a PNA-driven initiative, all fish processing facilities within PNA member countries are
preparing to obtain accreditation under one of two voluntary internationally-recognised social
accountability 83 standards – the Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) or Social Accountability
International (SA 8000). 84 The rationale for doing so is to improve working conditions within PNA
processing facilities to ensure that international labour standards are met, since both the BSCI and
SA 8000 standards are underpinned by national law, international human rights norms and the
conventions of the ILO. For both BSCI and SA 8000, the audit is undertaken by third-party
companies who are accredited by Social Accountability Accreditation Services (SAAS). 85
Under the BSCI, suppliers form an agreement with specific clients to implement the BSCI Code of
Conduct, which is based on a series of ten general mandatory social requirements concerning
freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining; discrimination; child labour; minimum
wages; working hours; forced labour and disciplinary measures; workplace health and safety;
environment; social accountability policy; and, anti-bribery/anti-corruption. 86
The SA 8000 standard is considered to establish global ‘best practice’ social standards. Hence,
suppliers who have successfully acquired BSCI accreditation are encouraged to obtain SA 8000.
Under SA 8000, suppliers must meet a series of nine broad social accountability requirements
concerning the following – child labour; forced and compulsory labour; health and safety; freedom
of association and right to collective bargaining; discrimination; disciplinary practices; working hours;
remuneration; and, management systems. 87 The accreditation is more rigorous than BSCI, in that for
each of the nine requirements, a number of specific criteria must be met. However, unlike BSCI, SA
82 Sullivan et al. 2003, 2005.
83 Social accountability is a component of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), whereby social issues such as
human and labour rights and community relations are incorporated into an organization’s business practices.
Courville 2003.
84 Pacifical 2011.
85 BSCI 2011.
86 BSCI 2011.
87 Social Accountability International 2008.
Linpico s.a.r.l. Page 65