EANS-News: Semperit AG Holding
High Ethical and Social Standards at Sempermed
in Thailand (with photo)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Corporate news transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer/originator is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Company Information Vienna, June 6, 2014 - The Semperit Group is committed to high ethical and social standards as well as good working conditions for all its employees around the world. An independent audit carried out to verify adherence to the Code of Conduct of the Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) shows that this also applies to the Siam Sempermed glove production facilities in Hatyai, Thailand. The BSCI audit carried out in April 2014 states that Siam Sempermed's largest production site complied with all Thai laws. It also indicates that there was neither child or bonded labour nor discrimination, and that all employees at the site were receiving a fair remuneration for their work. Furthermore, Semperit is fully engaged in addressing the voluntary overtime carried out by migrant workers who want to earn as much money as possible within the duration of time they are permitted to stay in Thailand. These extra hours --a crucial point for a factory to be BSCI compliant-- exceeded the BSCI standard of 12 hours per week, but were still within the legal limits established by local labour laws. This good performance in fulfilling ethical and social standards was possible due to the fact that Siam Sempermed continually strives to improve working conditions for its employees within the context of a sustainable corporate social responsibility initiative. In order to further improve the working conditions in the future, Sempermed will continue and intensify the cooperation with BSCI. Its Code of Conduct takes the following aspects into consideration: * The rights of Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining * No Discrimination * Fair Remuneration * Decent Working Hours * Occupational Health and Safety * No Child Labour * Special Protection for Young Workers * No Precarious Employment * No Bonded Labour * Protection of the Environment * Ethical Business Behaviour "We are a company which operates globally, but the way we perceive ourselves is rooted in traditional European values. This is precisely why we take our social responsibility seriously at all our sites, and why we aim to make a contribution towards improving the situation of employees, especially in Asia. The results of the BSCI audit come as no surprise to us, but serve to rectify the allegations made against Sempermed in Thailand several weeks ago", says Richard Ehrenfeldner, Member of the Management Board of Semperit. "One can create working conditions which perhaps still barely manage to be legally permissible, or one can ensure that they are exemplary. We have decided for the latter course of action, and lead the way forward. The results of the BSCI audit indicate that we are on the right track. We will continue on this path in order to create optimal conditions for all employees along our production chain", Richard Ehrenfeldner adds. Semperit is a participant of the BSCI, a business-driven initiative for companies committed to improving working conditions in their global supply chains. By joining this initiative, Semperit is committed to implement the BSCI Code of Conduct, a set of principles and values which draws on internationally recognised labour standards protecting workers' rights. About Semperit The publicly listed company Semperit AG Holding is an internationally-oriented group that develops, produces, and sells in more than 100 countries highly specialised rubber and plastic products for the medical and industrial sectors: examination and surgical gloves, hydraulic and industrial hoses, conveyor belts, escalator handrails, construction profiles, cable car rings, and products for railway superstructures. The headquarters of this long-standing Austrian company, which was founded in 1824, are located in Vienna, and the global R & D centre is in Wimpassing, Lower Austria. The Semperit Group employs about 10,800 people worldwide, including more than 7,000 in Asia and more than 700 in Austria (Vienna and production site in Wimpassing, Lower Austria). The Group has 22 manufacturing facilities worldwide and numerous sales offices in Europe, Asia, and America. In 2013 the group generated sales of EUR 906 million and an EBITDA of EUR 133 million. About Sempermed Sempermed is the largest segment of the Semperit Group and is ranked among the international leading manufacturers of medical and industrial gloves. At Sempermed's research centre in Wimpassing, Lower Austria, new products are continually developed and tested in close co-operation with users and experts. For more than 90 years Sempermed has been producing gloves of the highest quality and has set standards in terms of quality and innovation. Sempermed continually strives for optimum safety and reliability using the most modern production technologies, highest production hygiene and strictest quality checks. In 2013 Sempermed generated sales of EUR 435 million, (about 48% of the Group revenue) and an EBITDA of EUR 59 million. For further information visit us at www.sempermed.com. Pictures with Announcement: ---------------------------------------------- http://resources.euroadhoc.com/us/4WGHgyhX Further inquiry note: Martina Büchele Head of Group Communications Tel.: +43 676 8715 8621 martina.buechele@semperitgroup.com www.semperitgroup.com end of announcement euro adhoc -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pictures with Announcement: ---------------------------------------------- http://resources.euroadhoc.com/us/4WGHgyhX ; company: Semperit AG Holding Modecenterstrasse 22 A-1030 Wien phone: +43 1 79 777-210 FAX: +43 1 79 777-602 mail: investor@semperitgroup.com WWW: www.semperitgroup.com sector: Synthetics & Plastics ISIN: AT0000785555 indexes: WBI, ATX Prime, ViDX, Prime Market, ATX Global Players stockmarkets: official market: Wien language: English
Original content of: Semperit AG Holding, transmitted by news aktuell