Munters takes a stand against modern slavery

Munters has updated its modern slavery statement to show its zero tolerance for forced labor and human trafficking.

The statement is written in accordance with section 54 of the UK Modern Slavery Act, which was introduced in 2015. The law requires companies operating in the UK, with a turnover of at least £36 million, to prepare and publish a statement each year *.

Although it is a country law in the UK, Munters takes a global stand on the issue.

"As a global company, we take the statement seriously and work actively to eradicate all forms of modern slavery throughout our supply chain," Judy Castaño, Vice President of HR Americas and one of the authors of the statement, said. "All our major suppliers must sign our code of conduct, which prohibits any form of involuntary work and child labor."

The code of conduct, which is based on internationally agreed regulations and standards such as the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, also states that suppliers must offer a workplace free from discrimination, give every employee equal treatment and respect their right to join a trade union.

"To ensure that they comply with our code of conduct, we are in regular contact with our suppliers," Castaño said. "In cases where a supplier does not meet the requirements, we draw up an action plan. If the plan is not followed, we will end the relationship. But our experience so far is that companies are keen on honoring the document."

Last year, all of Munters' direct and indirect material suppliers signed the code of conduct and this year the plan is to extend this to several companies further down the supply chain.

"This is a continuous process and our next step is to ensure that our top suppliers' subcontractors also comply with our agreement," Castaño said.

Workers' rights

Munters also has a code of conduct for its employees, which describes how an employee can expect to be treated at work. The code of conduct, which was recently revised, covers a range of issues, such as corruption, working hours and wages.

The plan is to provide training throughout the year to make every employee aware of their rights and the importance of reporting violations of company policy.

The first step in stopping unethical practices, such as modern slavery, is to report it.

Therefore, HR introduced a training last year on this subject "Human Trafficking Awareness & Reporting Obligations". The training has been given to employees in HR, procurement and strategic operations. The plan is to continue the training of more employees this year.

"We hear about so many crimes against humanity and still in this modern society it can happen before our eyes," Castaño said. "We must educate ourselves so that we recognize the signs and help stop this cruel, inhuman act by daring to report what we see."

* Section 54 of the UK’s Modern Slavery Act: the evolution from voluntary to mandatory? (penningtonslaw.com)

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