The current social charter defines the ethical values as well as the control and benchmark points that Epsilon respects and upholds.
An enterprise, as time passes, has designed its corporate culture which reference values are shared to customers, suppliers and communities.
For this to happen, we, Epsilon and our stakeholders, are scrupulously committed to respect the customers’ requirements, to ensure goods and services for all clients, to respect applicable regulations, to respect the environment.
These are our core values. They require ethical behavior from us, and these are the essence of all the decisions we make.
These values can be summarized as follows:
Considering that working with the ultimate values is the best way to satisfy our employees, our clients and ourselves, we Epsilon and our stakeholders are committed to conduct our activities in compliance with the highest social responsibility.
We are first committed to respect all the Malagasy regulations and the ILO conventions imposed on us about our activities.
1.1-Child Labor
We, Epsilon and our stakeholders do not hire people under the age of 18
1.2-Forced Labor
We, Epsilon and our stakeholders do not employ any forced labor, or in the form of prisoners’ labor, chained and others.
Any of our employee works under coercion or intimidation of any form. Any original paper is conversed. Any unfair clause is included in the contract to work with us.
1.3-Discrimination
We, Epsilon and our stakeholders, discriminate neither in recruiting nor in the employment practice. Decision about hiring, salary, bonus, training opportunity, position changes, promotion, disciplinary practice and dismissal are based on the employee’s capacity in accomplishing jobs and not on any other features or personal convictions like race, nationality, gender, religion, age, handicap, marital status, the fact of being parents, or member of an association or union, sexual or political orientation.
1.4-Freedom of Association and Collective bargaining
We, Epsilon and our stakeholders, respect the employees’ rights to join or create associations of their choice and to bargain collectively. We assure effective communication with our employees and their representatives.
1.5 - Disciplinary practice
Our employees are treated with respect and dignity. No employee can be subjected to threat or verbal, psychological, physical or sexual abuse, neither fines nor financial deductions.
The company’s rules of procedures are written and conveyed to our employees. Each employee is given the chance to defend himself in case of disciplinary proceeding.
2.1- Salary and bonus
We, Epsilon and our stakeholders, respect the minimum wage in all circumstances and respect as well the payment of the overtime hours according to the rate applicable. We are aiming at respecting the decent minimum wage.
2.2- Working hours
We, Epsilon and our stakeholders, respect the Malagasy regulations requiring 40 regular hours and 20 overtime hours a week. We consistently hold one day off per week even in the peak season.
2.3- - Conditions of employment
We, Epsilon and our stakeholders, develop all of our employees as soon as they join the company. We give priority to open-ended contracts every time it is possible. We do not employ casual workers, in order for us to avoid giving open-ended contract fringe benefits.
We, Epsilon and our stakeholders, provide a safe and secure environment and encourage hygiene practices and security preventing accidents and injuries. This involves the fire protection system, fighting against the risk of accident and the toxic substance. The lighting, the heating and the ventilation system are made suitable. Training about hygiene and security is available.
When the employees dwell within the company premises, the same standards are applied in the accommodation venues.
We, Epsilon and our stakeholders, communicate this charter to all of our employees (from workers to members of executive officers) by means of display, individual or collective explanation.
At each of our factory, we have a clear and effective organization to ensure the respect of this charter and mainly the establishment of our management.
We keep all necessary documents to certify the respect of this charter and applicable legislation either in social aspects, hygiene, or security and environment and we accept to make these documents available to our customers’ CSR audits.
We are encouraging our partners, suppliers and subcontractors, to have the same policy regarding human rights, security and environment.
We, Epsilon and our stakeholders, respect regulations regarding environment prevention.
We are committed to improve the environmental performance of our own operations. It includes: the identification of our environmental risks, the responsible management of natural resources, the adoption of a cleaner environment and some preventive measures of pollution, the products development, materials and technologies complying with the sustainable development principle.
Chemical products and other substances having a possible impact on the environment are identified and handled with care: handling, transport, storage, recycling, secure reutilization and destruction.
Industrial water and residues generated from different operations, industrial and health processes; are supervised, controlled and handled before being rejected.
All kinds of waste are reduced or rooted out with practices such as the production change, the equipment maintenance, the material substitution, the conservation, the recycling and the recovery of components.
Emissions of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), aerosols, corrosive products, particles, ozone and other emissions related to operations are surveyed, supervised, controlled and handled every time it is possible before discharge.
We, Epsilon and our stakeholders, have an anti-corruption policy and we are committed not to compromise ourselves in any form of corruption.
We provide training to educate our personnel about this anti-corruption policy.
We, Epsilon and our stakeholders wish to state that integrity is at the basis of our values and represents a solid guarantee for our staffs, customers, suppliers and communities.
We are committed to respect the highest standards of business integrity. We do not tolerate any practice that is incompatible with the principles of honesty, integrity and equity, everywhere in the world where we do business.
Suppliers of Epsilon must do their activities according to ethical standards acting coherently with ours. Epsilon’s ethical standards are included in our Statement of Business Integrity namely :
- Respect all applicable laws and regulations
- Treat each other with fairness, dignity and respect
- Prepare all financial records with care and accuracy
- Report Financial transactions and the results of operations, fairly and expeditiously
- Deal honestly and fairly with customers, suppliers and financial partners
- Avoid actual, potential conflicts of interests.
- Avoid improper donations and/ or gifts
- Safeguard the assets of our company
- Protect confidential and proprietary information
- Protect our firm’s reputation
- Separate political activities with our company’s proper activities
- Report violations of all laws and applicable regulations, and ethical standards.
- Suppliers and subcontractors must not engage in activities of unfair competition and must not involve in any form of corruption.
The stakeholders (suppliers, subcontractors and communities) are committed to fully respect the obligations under the current social responsibility charter. In addition, they commit to contribute with good will in order for Epsilon to control the respect of the Charter. For this purpose, the stakeholders are among other things committed to leave free access to their premises, offices, production unit to members of the company and/ or internal auditors.