Policy: All major changes in operations, involving work processes, manning norms and other productivity linked issues are implemented after discussions with the employees and the recognised unions at each location.

Implementation: Business plans are shared with employees at all Units through a series of communication meetings, and through the intranet portals. Unionised employees at the concerned Units are informed of all major changes well in advance through their representatives.

The responsibility for the implementation of the policy rests with the Unit’s Human Resources Department in the case of unionised employees and with the concerned Divisional Management Committees for other employees.

The employees are given enough time to consider the implications of change and an opportunity to discuss their apprehensions, if any, with the management. The Policy is actualised through consultative meetings with representatives of employees, culminating in joint minutes/agreements.

Monitoring & Auditing: Compliance with the Policy is regularly monitored by the Unit Head.

Policy: The Company’s policy on HIV/AIDS with regard to its employees will, at a minimum, comply with all relevant Central and State legislations and the Company will implement all policies and directives of the Government regarding HIV/AIDS whenever issued.

The Company will provide to all its employees sensitive, accurate and the latest information about risk reduction strategies in their personal lives, with the objective of reducing the stigma of HIV/AIDS, encouraging safe behaviour and improving understanding of treatment. The Company is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace to all its employees. It is the Company’s objective that employees will have access to health services to prevent and manage HIV/AIDS.

The Company will not discriminate against any employee infected by HIV/AIDS with regard to promotions, training and other privileges and benefits as applicable to all employees.All HIV positive employees will be allowed to continue to work in their jobs unless (a) medical conditions interfere with the specific job being done, in which case reasonable alternative working arrangements will be made; or (b) the employee is incapacitated to perform his/her duties and is declared medically unfit by a medical doctor, in which case the employee will be assisted to rehabilitate himself/herself outside the Company.

The Company will not make pre-employment HIV/AIDS screening mandatory as part of its fitness-to-work assessment. Screening of this kind refers to direct methods (HIV testing), indirect methods (assessment of risk behaviour), and questions about HIV tests already taken. HIV/AIDS test will not be part of the annual health check-up unless specifically requested for by an employee.

Voluntary testing for HIV/AIDS, when requested for by the employee, will be carried out by private or community health services and not at the workplace. There will be no obligation on the part of the employees to inform the Company about their clinical status in relation to HIV/AIDS. Information on clinical diagnosis of an employees’ status in terms of his/her HIV/AIDS status, if advised to the Company, will be kept strictly confidential.

Implementation: This policy is publicly available throughout the Company and clearly communicated to all employees in a manner in which it can be understood through induction programmes, policy manuals and intranet portals.

The responsibility for the implementation of the policy rests with the Unit Human Resources Departments. A report is provided to the Divisional Head on such programmes.

Monitoring & Auditing: Compliance with the Policy is regularly monitored by the Unit Head.

Policy: ITC’s commitment to human rights extends to all its significant investment decisions in order to ensure integration of statutory compliance, environmental, occupational health and safety, human rights and progressive labour policies into business decision-making processes.

Implementation: The custodian of this policy is the Divisional Chief Executive/SBU Head of the concerned business.

Monitoring & Audit: The Internal Audit function of ITC conducts periodic checks to ensure that such clauses form part of investment contracts signed during the audit period.
  

Human Rights Consideration Across the Supply Chain

Policy: ITC endeavours to ensure that all its service providers/vendors incorporate high standards of human rights, safety, health, labour practices and environment in their operations as practiced by the Company.

Implementation: The responsibility for implementation of this policy rests with the Divisional Chief Executive/SBU Head of the concerned business.

Monitoring & Audit: The Internal Audit function of ITC conducts periodic audits to ensure that such clauses form part of the investment contracts signed during the audit period.

Policy: ITC’s approach to its human resources is premised on the fundamental belief of fostering meritocracy in the organisation, which promotes diversity and offers equality of opportunity to all employees. ITC does not engage in or support direct or indirect discrimination in recruitment, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination or retirement based on caste, religion, disability, gender, age, race, colour, ancestry, marital status or affiliation with a political, religious, or union organisation or a minority group.

Implementation: The policy is communicated to all employees through induction programmes, policy manuals and intranet portals. The custodian of this policy is the Divisional Chief Executive or the SBU Head of each business.

The speedy resolution of formal complaints is premised on the freedom of employees to approach higher officials in case the issue is not settled at the level of his/her immediate superior. The salient features of the issue and steps taken towards its resolution are minuted. For the unionised employees, compliance with the policy is ensured through a robust grievance handling procedure and the presence of a union that is expected to bring violations to the notice of the unit HR Head.

Monitoring & Auditing: The accountability for the application of this policy rests with the Unit Head who reviews anti-discriminatory complaints annually or on a case-by-case basis. The HR department of the Division/SBU reports annually on incidents of discrimination, if any, to the SBU Head or the Divisional Chief Executive. Corporate Human Resources conducts non-discrimination reviews annually on a sample basis with Unit Heads and through on-site assessments.

Policy: ITC respects the employees’ right to organise themselves into interest groups, independent from supervision by the management. In keeping with the spirit of this policy, employees are not discriminated against for exercising this right.

Implementation: The policy is communicated to all employees through induction programmes, policy manuals and intranet portals. The custodian of this policy is the HR Head of each operational unit who reports directly to the Unit Head on such issues. The employees are informed of these rights by the unions who solicit their support to represent them formally before the management.

Monitoring & Audit: Each ITC Unit has appropriate systems to ensure compliance with the Policy and statutory provisions, including means for filing of grievances, collective bargaining agreements and minutes of worker meetings.

The HR department of the concerned unit submits annual reports to the functional head in cases of identified incidents of violation of freedom of association and collective bargaining. Divisional and Corporate HR regularly monitor compliance with the Policy. Corporate HR compiles these on a half-yearly basis and reports to the Corporate Management Committee.
 

Prohibition of Child and Forced Labour

Policy: ITC does not employ any person below the age of eighteen years at the workplace. ITC prohibits the use of forced or compulsory labour at all its units. No employee is made to work against his/her will or work as bonded/forced labour, or subject to corporal punishment or coercion of any type related to work.

Implementation: This policy is publicly available throughout the Company and clearly communicated to all employees in a manner in which it can be understood through induction programmes, policy manuals and intranet portals. The workers are informed of these rights by the trade unions active at each unit.

The implementation of the policy is the responsibility of the Unit’s HR Department and the security staff who do not permit minors to enter the factory as workers.

Employment contracts and other records, documenting all relevant details of the employees, including age, are maintained at all units and are open to verification by any authorised personnel or relevant statutory body.

The unit provides an annual report on all reported, if any, incidents of child or forced labour to the functional head.

Monitoring & Audit: Corporate Internal Audit and EHS departments undertake audit and assessment annually. Corporate Human Resources undertakes random checks of records annually.

Policy: All employees of ITC have the obligation to conduct themselves in an honest and ethical manner and act in the best interest of the Company at all times. They are expected to demonstrate exemplary personal conduct. All employees of ITC must avoid situations in which their personal interest could conflict with the interest of the Company. Conflict, if any, must be disclosed to the higher management for guidance and action. All employees must ensure that their actions in the conduct of business are totally transparent.

Implementation: The strong corporate governance process of the Company creates the environment for the formulation of robust internal systems and procedures in a structured manner for the conduct of the Company’s business. An effective policy for prevention of corruption is actualised through appropriate policies, systems and processes such as the delegated authority structure as per Corporate Governance policies, segregation of duties, tiered approval mechanisms, the involvement of more than one manager in key decisions and maintenance of supporting records.

All ITC managers are provided with adequate training inputs to be aware of the systems and procedures and to ensure compliance.

The custodian of this policy is the Corporate Management Committee, the Divisional Chief Executives/SBU Heads and Heads of departments. A core responsibility of the DMCs is to put in place appropriate control and risk management mechanisms to ensure that businesses are conducted as per the Governance Policy and the Company’s Code of Professional Conduct. The Divisional Chief Executives/SBU Heads provide confirmation of compliance with the laid down systems and procedures.

Monitoring & Audit: The Company remains committed to ensuring an effective internal control environment that provides assurance on potential risks. ITC’s well-established and robust internal audit processes continuously monitor the adequacy and effectiveness of the internal control environment across the Company. Weaknesses or non-compliance, if any, are identified during the audit process for rectification, thereby providing crucial inputs for continuous improvements in the systems and procedures. Significant issues, if any, are brought to the notice of the Audit Committee together with the progress made for resolution. Confirmations given by the businesses to the Board are independently verified by Internal Audit as per the directions of the Audit Committee.