Human Rights and Labor Practices
Goal and Performance
It is crucial for Charoen Pokphand Group to prioritize the implementation of human rights in its own operations, and those of suppliers. The actions to ensure that all stakeholders are protected included fair labor practices, diversity and inclusion, occupational health and safety of all workers. C.P. Group encourages all business units to conduct human rights on a continuous basis.
of businesses periodically conduct human rights impact assessment and tier 1 high-risk suppliers
Supporting the SDGs
Charoen Pokphand Group's Human Rights and Labor Practices actions support the achievement of five Sustainable Development Goals
More Details on Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023
Stakeholders Directly Impacted
Charoen Pokphand Group performs stakeholder assessment and prioritization process on an annual basis to evaluate impacts we have on them and how can they influence our strategies and actions over time. In 2023, the evaluation results showed that our endeavor to protect human rights and uplift labor practices directly creates impacts on all 11 stakeholder groups.
More Details on Stakeholder Engagement Report 2023
Our Impact by the Numbers
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Human Right Impact Assessment Guideline
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Human Right and Labor Practices Guidelines
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Human Rights Report 2020
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Human Right Report 2021 (Executive Summary)
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Human Right Report 2021 (Full Report)
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Human Right Report 2022 (Executive Summary)
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Human Right Report 2022 (Full Report)
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Human Right Report 2023 (Executive Summary)
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Human Right Report 2023 (Full Report)
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Safety, Occupational Health and Workplace Policy and Guidelines
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Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Policy
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Human Rights and Labor Practices Policy and Guidelines
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CP Group the Foreign Workers Recruitment Policy and Guidelines
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Diversity and Inclusion Best Practices
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Life Saving Rules
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Life Saving Rules (Chinese Version)
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Safety, Occupational Health and Environment Management Standards
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Safety, Occupational Health and Environment Management Standards (Chinese Version)
Human Rights Management Approach
Charoen Pokphand Group operates a diverse business with a long and complex value chain that involves various stakeholders. Therefore, we recognize that potential risks and challenges relating to human rights may affect our business. In order to prevent human rights risks and support sustainable growth, the Group has implemented the Human Rights and Labor Practices Policy and Guidelines and other relevant policies, including Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy, Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Policy, and Migrant Workers Recruitment Policy. All policies and guidelines are reviewed on an annual basis to ensure consistency and practicability of causes stated in the policies and guidelines. The revisions will be proposed by working teams, and approved by the Sustainability Committee, and Executives Board.
The Group's management approach aligns with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP). The core of these principles is based on three pillars, with pillars 2 and 3 being directly relevant to business operations.
Charoen Pokphand Group supports business practices that respect human rights by translating the "CEO Guide to Human Rights" by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development into Thai. This guide has been distributed to the Group's companies, business partners, the private sector, and the general public. Its purpose is to promote awareness of business operations that respect human rights and create tangible benefits for society.
We have adopted the Human Rights Due Diligence in our operations as follows:
Policy Commitment
Charoen Pokphand Group has several human rights-related policies and guidelines in place for all business units and suppliers to comply with. The Group has dedicated working teams to constantly monitor changes or requirements from laws, rules, and regulations, and then the Group’s policies and guidelines will be changed accordingly. The Sustainability Committee has the role and responsibility to screen the appropriateness and suitability of the changes before proposing them to the Executive Board level for final endorsement and publication.
Embedding
To effectively and sustainably executed human rights due diligence processes, the following actions must be implemented by the business units:
- Leadership Role Model: All management must become role models for employees.
- Assigning Responsibility: Responsible personnel must be appointed to manage human rights topics.
- Training Key Personnel: Provision of training must be given to responsible personnel to ensure alignment and strict compliance.
- Integrating into Recruitment Process: Integration of human rights topics into employee recruitment and appraisal review processes.
- Capacity Development: Business Units must have systems and processes to build awareness regarding human rights for all levels of employees and management.
- Incentive Development: Special incentives should be considered provided to all levels of employees to promote compliance and prevention of human rights risks throughout the organization.
Assessing Impact
Charoen Pokphand Group conducts human rights risk assessment across the Group’s entire value chain, covering the establishments of the Company, suppliers, and joint ventures. In doing so, the Group considers the impacts on rights holders in the value chain, reviews the risk assessment every three years, and determines preventive and mitigation measures against potential human rights impacts.
In 2023, Charoen Pokphand Group reviewed human rights issues concerning the Group by taking into consideration national, industrial, and international contexts, as well as suggestions from human rights experts.
Integrating and Acting
Once the human rights risks have been identified, business units or suppliers that have operations located in high human rights risks or having business activities with or can lead to human rights risks must establish and implement corrective actions or prevention measures. The plans must be integrated into corporate human rights management to reduce or eliminate human rights risk across the supply chain.
Tracking Performance
It is necessary to monitor the effectiveness of corrective action measures, mitigation mechanisms, and other related actions. Business Units must establish suitable Key Performance Indicators for both qualitative and quantitative dimensions.
Communicating Performance
Human rights due diligence process and results must be communicated clearly and transparently to the public. A variety of communication channels must be available for different groups of stakeholders. The contents that must be communicated include strategy, goals and targets, implementation or preventive plans, results, challenges, and next steps.
Engaging Stakeholders
The main objectives of the stakeholder engagement process are to understand stakeholders’ perceptions towards human rights management at the Business Units level and obtain additional human rights violation issues that might not have been included in the HRIA process. Moreover, we also engage with them to assess the effectiveness of human rights mitigation or prevention plans.
Remediation & Grievance Mechanism
Remediation is typically performed after adverse effects have occurred. A systematic remediation process inside the operation should be considered by business units. The following major steps should be included in the process: Consideration of impact, including financial and non-financial impact; level of impact; requirements of person receiving impact, local context, relevant legislation, and more. To build a remedy that is suitable, reasonable, and not against the law, each step must be thoroughly examined fair, and transparent. A committee is required to oversee each step, and expert viewpoints must be incorporated into the decision-making process. When it comes to land rights and indigenous rights, the business unit must be careful not to rely solely on comments released by laws. Additional research should be conducted covering social rights, cultural activities, citizenship rights, and more.
The grievance system is an important step in gathering information for the remediation and prevention of human rights violations. A business unit must have a systematic grievance mechanism that is aligned with the international framework, including a) accessibility - which must be easily accessible and user friendly; b) compatibility; c) transparency and verifiability by an external third party; and d) impartiality of the committee and hearings from all sectors. The business units must include third parties in discussions about land rights and indigenous rights.
Occupational Health and Safety
Management Approach
As a leading conglomerate company, Charoen Pokphand Group has employed over 450,000 employees and has a variety of business activities with internal and external stakeholders. With such operations, Occupational Health and Safety Management is a top priority in the operations.
The Group adheres to enhancing the standard of a safe workplace by establishing Safety, Occupational Health, and Workplace Policies and Guidelines in accordance with the national laws and regulations in all territories where the Group operates, the International Labor Standards on Occupational Safety and Health by the International Labor Organization (ILO), the Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), ISO 45001, and Key Healthy Workplace Principles of the World Health Organization (WHO). Similar to Human Rights and Labor Practices Policy and Guidelines, the Safety, Occupational Health, and Workplace Policies and Guidelines receive revision on a regular basis. The reviewed policy and guidelines will be revised and endorsed by the Sustainability Committee, and Executive Board.
Occupational Health and Safety Progress
Number of Hours Worked in 2023
Employee
Hours
Lost Time Injury Rate (Employee)
Injury Rate case/1,000,000 hours worked
Fatality Rate (Employee)
Fatality case/1,000,000 hours worked
Contractor
Hours
Lost Time Injury Rate (Contractor)
Injury Rate case/1,000,000 hours worked
Fatality Rate (Contractor)
Fatality case/1,000,000 hours worked
Accident Reduction Strategy
Cooperating to Become a Zero Accident Organization
Charoen Pokphand Group has set the target to become an organization with zero accidents and fatalities of employees, contractors, and relevant stakeholders. The Group’s executives and all subsidiaries have thereby given their full support to such commitment by establishing strategies, work plans, and indicators at the Group, Business Unit, and employee levels. We have also dedicated human resources to fully drive the organization towards the achievement of the goal. Charoen Pokphand Group’s accident reduction strategy consists of:
Total Employees
Female
Male
Target for Share of Women in Total Workforce
Number of Employees by Employment Type
(person)
Number of Employees by Age Group
(person)
Employee Well-being Management
Charoen Pokphand Group places a high priority on managing employee well-being because we understand how important a happy and healthy staff is to our long-term performance. C.P. Group takes a comprehensive approach and provides a variety of benefits and initiatives that support the employees' physical, mental, and emotional health. We actively encourage a healthy lifestyle among our employees through extensive health and wellness initiatives, which include finesses, workplace stress management, annual health checkups, and counseling services. Additionally, all employees may effortlessly manage their personal and professional commitments thanks to flexible work schedules and a policy that supports work-life balance. C.P. Group has established working days and hours and other terms of employment in compliance with local labor laws. In addition to the flexible working hours, C.P. Group also allows flexible working locations for all employees, for instance, work-from-home arrangements. The flexibility that the Group offers to employees not only brings benefits to the Group alone, but also to employees, for instance, it empowers individuals to better balance their personal and professional responsibilities, reducing stress and enhancing job satisfaction, increasing productivity and better task outcomes, attracts top talent and retains valuable team members, promotes seamless collaboration across different time zones and geographical boundaries, and reduces overall environmental impacts.
Additionally, Charoen Pokphand Group recognizes the value of helping our employees' families, therefore as part of our dedication to their well-being, we offer extensive corporate benefits, including maternity and paternity leave. We truly believe in establishing an office culture that values both gender equality and work-life balance. Our female employees are entitled to 120 days of paid leave for maternity leave, allowing expectant women to fully embrace their role as mothers and care for their children without worrying about their job obligations. Our male employees are entitled to 5-15 days of paid paternity leave, allowing them to actively engage in the early years of their child's life. In addition to the maternity and parental leaves, C.P. Group also provides breast-feeding facilities to employees who need such facilities. These corporate benefits are a prime example of our commitment to meeting the comprehensive needs of our workers and their families, developing a culture of care, and advancing our company as a whole.
Employee Appraisal
Employee evaluations at Charoen Pokphand Group are based on an equitable, open, and performance-driven methodology that encourages ongoing improvement. We provide several appraisal methods for our employees year-round, this is to allow a more comprehensive and well-rounded evaluation of employees' performance and potential.
Management by Objectives
The Management by Objectives recognizes and acknowledges employees' contributions, while also identifying areas for development and providing chances for promotion. Regular performance reviews are conducted using specific, measurable criteria and key performance indicators (KPIs) that are in line with the responsibilities and the overall goals of the organization.
Multidimensional Performance Appraisal
The multidimensional performance appraisal allows employees to receive insights from peers, subordinates, and other stakeholders, further enriching the appraisal process and promoting a collaborative work environment.
Team-based Performance Appraisal
The team-based performance appraisal is a collaborative evaluation approach that assesses team accomplishments and individual contributions within a group setting. This approach recognizes the importance of cooperation in accomplishing organizational goals by emphasizing the collective effort and synergy of the team.
Agile Conversations
During the performance review process, we place a high value on open and constructive communication and encourage employees to discuss their successes, challenges, and future goals. A tailored growth path is mapped out as a result of meaningful conversations between supervisors and employees about goals and feedback. Through the facilitation of two-way information exchange, this method gives employees the chance to understand their performance objectives and prospects for progress while also feeling valued and supported.
At C.P. Group, we also place high importance on promoting a culture of continual education. As a result, our appraisal technique evaluates future performance as well. Additionally, it includes an emphasis on skill development, training, and mentoring, providing staff employees with the resources they need to enhance their skills and remain adaptable in a corporate environment that is continuously changing.
Employees’ Compensation
The C.P. Group respects its workers and is dedicated to offering fair remuneration packages that take into account their contributions and abilities. Our compensation structure is designed to attract and retain top talent, ensuring that employees feel valued and motivated in their roles. In addition, C.P. Group recognizes the value of work-life balance and offers a wide range of benefits, such as health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off, to promote our workers' general well-being. Our commitment to recognizing performance and establishing an atmosphere where workers may flourish on both a personal and professional level is highlighted by our compensation philosophy.
In Addition to the fair and equal remuneration and benefits provided to all of our employees, C.P. Group’s subsidiaries also offer their employees a long-term incentives program. This program aligns employees’ interests with the company’s long-term success, motivates the employees to contribute to sustained growth and profitability, enhances employee retention, encourages a focus on future achievement, and fosters a sense of ownership and commitment, which will ultimately drive higher levels of engagement and productivity. For instance, one of our subsidiaries offers a long-term incentive program called “innovation point” for all employees. Employees can earn innovation points through generating innovative ideas, which can be developed with cross-functional teams to create and implement innovative ideas. The Innovation point will be awarded to employees based on complexity of the innovation, and the level of the impact. The innovation points will be measured at the end of the year, and employees who reach a specific amount of innovation points will be awarded with benefits.