HERACLES GROUP

AGET as part of LafargeHolcim Group implements a Human Rights management system which aims at setting the company’s approach regarding human rights respecting, as well as the approach of suppliers and contractors that the company cooperates with.

The objective of the Human Rights Directive is to ensure systematic identification, prevention and mitigation of human rights risks (referring mainly to the areas of employment practices and community impacts, of our own practices and those of our contractors and suppliers) throughout the LafargeHolcim Group. This methodology also supports countries in identifying opportunities related to the operations, to set priorities and to plan effective follow-up actions.

Managing business-related human rights risks is a requirement of doing business in a globalized world. LafargeHolcim’s approach is to categorize all Countries according to the human rights risks prevalent in their operating environments, to conduct assessments according to the risk category, and to implement effective follow-up actions.

LafargeHolcim is committed to respecting relevant international human rights standards, including the principles contained within the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the International Labour Organizations (ILO) Core Conventions on Labour Standards.

All LafargeHolcim Countries are required to conduct an assessment according to the risk categorization of their operating environment and implement corresponding action plans to address identified risks.

The implementation of the Directive, the Manual, as well as the CSR policy, is relevant for all countries where the Group has operations. The successful implementation of human rights benefits the Group stuff as well as the local societies where the company operates. In the context of the risk assessment, we examine the practices not only of our company, but also those of our suppliers and contractors with whom we cooperate.

The renewed Guideline was set in force since November 2016 and is in force until today. The assessment needs to be updated at least every 3 years thereafter.

The respect of human rights is a fundamental and continuous commitment which is also incorporated at the Corporate Citizenship (CC) Policy of our company. AGET as part of LafargeHolcim group implements globally an innovative and integrated Human Rights management system which examines the practices not only of our company, but also those of our suppliers and contractors with whom we cooperate.

The Human Rights Directive (“HRD” or “Directive”) is issued under LafargeHolcim’s (or “Group”) Corporate Citizenship (CC) Policy and is an integral part of LafargeHolcim’s Sustainable Development (SD) activities.

The objective of the HRD is to ensure systematic identification, prevention and mitigation of human rights risks (referring mainly to the areas of employment practices and community impacts, of our own practices and those of our contractors and suppliers) throughout the LafargeHolcim Group. This methodology also supports countries in identifying opportunities related to the operations, to set priorities and to plan effective follow-up actions.

The implementation of the Group-wide management approach for business-related human rights risks is mandatory in all Countries. The approach is lean and risk-based:

• Country operations located in business environments with high levels of human rights risks are required to conduct an impact assessment (supported by a trained facilitator).
• Country operations located in medium-risk business environment are required to conduct an impact assessment when human rights-related claims have been made against our operations or have been identified, otherwise they conduct a self-assessment
• Country operations located in low-risk environments conduct a self-assessment

Action plans to mitigate potential risks are be defined by local management based on the results of the assessment. Implementation of the approach is monitored through the Stakeholder Survey the annual CSR questionnaire sent by the Group CC (Corporate Citizenship) team to the countries and by Legal & Compliance.

Systematically addressing business-related human rights is good risk management and necessary to maintain our sustainability leadership.

Proactive identification and mitigation of business-related human rights risks is the expected standard of conduct for companies and necessary to implement our group strategy.

The development of the Directive, the manual and the Corporate Citizenship (CC) Policy was based on a series of standards, methodologies, guidelines and principles of various international organizations like United Nations Global Compact, the Danish Institute for Human Rights which is one of the leading institutes globally in the field of business related human rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the Core Conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The implementation of the relevant directive and the manual as well as the Corporate Citizenship (CC) Policy is mandatory for all Group stuff.

All business units of LafargeHolcim Group, for all employees and executives of the Group as well as suppliers of goods and services.

The renewed Directive was set in force since November 2016 and is in force until today. The benefits from the implementation of this directive and the manual as well as from the Corporate Citizenship (CC) Policy are very important for the company as well as for the society as a hole. A general benefit from the implementation of the directive is that human rights implementation is boosted safeguarding this way their support at a globally in our operations.

Human rights risk management is fundamental to doing business in a globalized world. Governments, companies and civil society organizations have agreed on a clear definition of the role of business with regard to international standards referred to below. The worldwide accepted consensus is that, while governments have a duty to protect human rights, companies must “do no harm”. This means that all businesses are expected to respect human rights in all countries.

The renewed Directive was set in force since November 2016 and is in force until today. The benefits from the implementation of this directive and the manual as well as from the Corporate Citizenship (CC) Policy are very important for the company as well as for the society as a hole. A general benefit from the implementation of the directive is that human rights implementation is boosted safeguarding this way their support at a globally in our operations.