Purpose & Summary

This Operational Guidance elaborates on the Accountability Framework’s Core Principles 2.1 and 2.3 regarding respect for workers’ rights in the context of all production, processing, and  trade activities in the forestry and agriculture sectors. These rights include provisions for:

1. No child labour
2. No forced or compulsory labour
3. Freedom of association and collective bargaining
4. No discrimination
5. No abusive practices or undue disciplinary procedures
6. Legal and decent working hours
7. Safe and healthy workplaces
8. Living wages and fair benefits

Recognizing that numerous guidelines and other resources already exist to define and support the implementation of workers’ rights norms, a main purpose of this document is to synthesize accepted best practice to help facilitate its adoption by companies. Additionally, this document guides companies on the establishment of policies and systems that are effective at managing workers’ rights issues in an integrated manner alongside other key human rights and environmental issues.