UN Global Compact - Ten Principles

    Human Rights

  1. Businesses should support and respect the protection of inter nationally proclaimed human rights within their sphere of influence; and
  2. make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses.

    3. Labour Standards

  3. Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining;
  4. uphold the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour;
  5. uphold the effective abolition of child labour; and
  6. eliminate discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.

    7. Environment

  7. Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges;
  8. undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility; and
  9. encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.

    10. Anti-Corruption

  10. Businesses should work against all forms of corruption, including extortion and bribery.

The Ghana Business Code 2006

Principle 1

Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights within their sphere of influence

The business shall support and respect the protection of the right to

1.1 work, by;

1.1.1 providing for a contract, that details, as a minimum, job duties, payment, hours of work, holidays and holiday payment when employing persons for more than two months;

1.1.2 providing notice of termination of contract in writing;

1.1.3 not firing an employee because the employee filed a complaint against the business;

1.1.4 providing for technical and vocational training to improve employees’ skills.

1.2 rest, leisure and paid holidays by;

1.2.1 demanding maximum a 5 days work-week with max. 40 hours of work and only agreed paid overtime generally not exceeding 20 hours a week, and in rare circumstances for short periods only up to 80 hours a week;

1.2.2 granting every employee at least 15 working days paid leave per year.

1.3 education by;

1.3.1 supporting access to functional education for illiterate employees by providing for such education or allowing for time off to access education.

1.4 a living wage by;

1.4.1 paying at least the official minimum salary in a timely and regular manner.

1.5 a family life by;

1.5.1 offering 12 weeks paid maternity leave;

1.5.2 offering, where necessary,2 weeks paid paternity leave to men;

1.5.3 not dismissing a woman because of absence from work as a result of pregnancy;

1.5.4 not demanding pregnant women or nursing mothers of babies less than 8 months old to work overtime.

1.6 a safe and healthy working environment by;

1.6.1 providing adequate sanitary facilities at the workplace;

1.6.2 forming an Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) committee if larger than 15 employees or discuss with employees OHS issues at least annually if smaller;

1.6.3 providing safety and protective devices where needed and instructing workers on how to use them

1.6.4 ensuring adequate maintenance of machines and equipment.

1.7 privacy by;

1.7.1 not asking employees about their HIV status or that of fellow workers; except when the information is required only for proactive programs helping HIV/AIDS victims and full confidentiality is secured;

1.8 health by;

1.8.1 dealing proactively with HIV/AIDS matters providing information and training;

1.8.2 providing access to basic health services for the workers if these are not provided elsewhere;

1.8.3 clearly labelling all products in English and where relevant with expiry dates on them;

1.8.4 ensuring the testing of products with potential health or safety implications by the relevant authority and inscribing potential hazards clearly on them;

1.8.5 recalling promptly malfunctioning products.

1.8.6 abstaining from using verbal or corporal abuse in disciplining employees.

1.9 social security by,

1.9.1 ensuring payment of legally required pensions, survivors' benefits, life, disability or health insurance when required by law and, when not to the extent possible, providing for such security;

1.9.2 encouraging the establishment of unemployment insurance schemes.

Principle 2

Business should make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses.

The business shall;
2.1 Identify specific human rights challenges in its area of operation or location;

2.2 Ensure that it does not participate directly or indirectly in violations, or benefit from such abuses.

Principle 3

Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining.

The business shall;

3.1 recognize the right of employees to join and form trade unions of their choice without fear of intimidation or reprisal;

3.2 recognize representative organisations for the purpose of collective bargaining;

3.3 use collective bargaining as a forum to address working conditions and terms of employment;

Principle 4

Business should uphold the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour.

The business shall;

4.1 not employ or make use of services performed by employees who do not have free choice to resign;

4.2 prevent workers from bondage caused by debt to the employer.

Principle 5

Business should uphold the effective abolition of child labour

The business shall;

5.1 not make use of exploitative child labour, meaning work that deprives a child below 18 years of age of health, education or development;

5.2 only hire apprentices or employees above age 15 or age 13 to 15 if occupied in light work that does not hinder education or compromise the health of the child;

5.3 not expose young people below age 21 to work that may expose them to physical or moral hazard including night work;

5.4 seek to ensure that the negative consequences of laying off children below 15 years of age are minimised, by providing for adequate education for the child and if possible viable income alternatives for his family.

Principle 6

Business should eliminate discrimination in respect of employment and occupation

The business shall;

6.1 not discriminate against an employee on the basis of gender, ‘race’, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed, social status, physical challenge, economic status or political persuasion in hiring, firing or promotion;

6.2 not discriminate against workers based on real or perceived HIV status;

6.3 not ask job applicants about their HIV status;

6.4 pay male and female employees equally for the same work;

6.5 not allow sexual harassment in the work place.

Principle 7

Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges

The business shall;

7.1 consider the environmental impact of new activities and its production;

7.2 employ preventive measures even if in doubt about an activity’s negative environmental impact;

7.3 train employees to advance environmental awareness in company locations.

Principle 8

Businesses should undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility

The business shall;

8.1 continually seek to reduce its negative impact on the environment including seeking opportunities for re-use and recycling, to reduce water consumption and leakage; consumption of raw materials, and consumption of energy, and to avoid soil, ground water and surface water contamination;

8.2 ensure safe handling and transport of dangerous substances;

8.3 minimize the disruptive environmental impact of its operations when leaving an area.

Principle 9

Businesses should encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies

The business shall;

9.1 choose new technologies that are environmentally friendly when affordable;

9.2 seek to establish energy supplies from sustainable and environmentally friendly energy sources such as solar and wind energy.

Principle 10

Businesses should work against all forms of corruption, including extortion and bribery

The business shall;

10.1 document, record and keep income and expenditure for six years;

10.2 not permit the payment of bribes to business partners, government officials or employees;

10.3 shall not hire a government employee to do work that conflict in any manner with the official obligations of that employee;

10.4 only offer or accept gifts beyond the value of CEDIS 1.5 million. (equivalent of USD 160) per person in any twelve month period if approved by a senior officer and explicitly recorded in the books of the business naming the recipient;

10.5 abstain from cronyism and nepotism.

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