How Worldline respects and promotes Human Rights throughout its value chain as part of its commitment to excellence in terms of Ethics

A high level of commitment towards Human Rights

By passing and publishing its Human Rights policy in September 2021, Worldline reaffirmed its commitment to respect and implement the international, regional and national legal framework devoted to Human Rights. This legal framework includes, but is not limited to, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; the Council Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation (“the Employment Equality Directive”), the International Labour Organisation’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at work (“ILO Convention”). Worldline is also committed to comply with local conventions and legislations devoted to Human Rights. If these local conventions and/or legislations are more stringent, they shall prevail. Furthermore, Worldline aligns its prevention with the OECD guidelines for multinational companies, the OECD due diligence guidance for responsible business conduct and refers to the United Nations Global Compact 10 principles including those related to Human Rights, especially Principle 1: “Business should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed Human Right” and Principle 2: “Make sure that they are not complicit in Human Rights abuses”.

As part of its TRUST 2025 CSR programme, Worldline has taken commitments regarding the respect and the promotion of Human Rights alongside its value chain, reflected through the following KPIs:

• Reach 100% of employees trained in the code of ethics every year;
• Reach 100% of suppliers evaluated by EcoVadis with a score below 45 having an action plan to solve critical findings identified;
• Reach 100% of suppliers evaluated by EcoVadis

Worldline fully embeds the respect and promotion of Human rights in every function, role, and corner of its business and its value chain, through its Code of Ethics. This policy provides guidance regarding ethical behaviours of employees and suppliers within business activities. In 2020, Worldline’s Code of Ethics was updated by Worldline’s Legal Department and approved by its CEO to guarantee the utmost ethical standards in compliance with local laws and regulations. The strong involvement of Worldline’s Human Resources Department has ensured a consistent and thorough implementation, particularly in countries requiring representatives of employee to be involved. As a result, in 2020, Worldline has been able to disclose that it was not complicit in any kind of Human rights violation.

Applying the best practices and utmost standards in terms of employment

To go beyond the requirements of its Code of Ethics and the legal framework on Human Rights, Worldline has taken the step to define and implement in 2021 a dedicated Human Rights Policy. It is based on applying employment best and fair practices and then addressing some of their most critical social impacts.

In terms of employment best practices, the focus has been made on the following key areas:

• Diversity and inclusion: Worldline is committed to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. It provides a safe and inclusive working environment where all people are treated fairly and with respect. Furthermore, Worldline embraces and encourages Employees’ differences in gender, age, nationality, ethnicity, race, colour, creed, caste, language, mental or physical disability, organisational membership, opinion, religion, health status, marital status, sexual orientation, birth, or civic, social, political characteristics of the worker, and other characteristics that make all Employees unique. Eventually, employees who believe they have been subjected to any kind of discrimination or mobbing behaviour that conflicts with the company’s diversity values may resort to the Compliance Alert Policy.
  
  
• Non-discrimination: Worldline respects each individual’s Human Rights and does not discriminate, directly or indirectly on the basis of a distinguishing personal characteristic nor will Worldline commit other violations of Human Rights. Worldline will be resolute in upholding Human Rights in everything it does and will not tolerate such discrimination.The distinguishing personal characteristics can include, but it is not limited to, gender, age, national origin, citizenship, ethnicity, religion, race, colour, language, mental or physical disability, organisational membership, opinion, neurodiversity, infection or disease, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation (LGBTQIA), birth, or civic, social, political characteristics of the worker.
  
  
• Child labour/minimum age worker and Forced/bonded/compulsory labour: Worldline ensures that no child labour is used. Furthermore, Worldline shall ensure that it is not dealing with any third party involved in child labour. Worldline ensures that no Employee may be compelled to work through force or intimidation of any form (this can include bonded labour, debt bondage, forced prison labour, slavery, servitude, or human trafficking), or as a means of political coercion or as punishment for holding or expressing political views. Worldline ensures that it does not use, contract, or benefit (directly or indirectly) from the use of forced labour. Additionally, Worldline ensures also that its third parties must not use forced labour as defined above. It is ensured through the public Worldline Business Partner Integrity Charter.
  
  
• Freedom of association/collective bargaining and right to strike: All Worldline Employees shall have the right to form, join trade unions (ILO Convention 87) and the right to strike. Worldline shall respect its Employees’ right to join, form or not to join a labour union without fear of reprisal, intimidation or harassment. Worldline ensures that, under no circumstances, it will terminate Employees or discriminate against them in retaliation for exercising Employee rights, submitting grievances, participating in union activities, or reporting suspected legal violations.
  
  
• Working conditions and Health and Safety: Worldline ensures to provide to all its employees with a written contract, working hours in compliance with the applicable local legislations, a minimum wage, an a annual holidays and sick leave and parental leave. Worldline shall provide safe and healthy working facilities and take appropriate precautionary measures to protect Employees from work-related hazards and anticipated dangers in the workplace mentioned in the Worldline Safety Policy and the Worldline Physical Security Policy.
  
  
• Harsh or degrading treatment/harassment: Worldline shall not engage, support or allow any form of harassment, whether physical, verbal or psychological, or abuse in the workplace.

In parallel, Worldline also commits to addressing the social impacts of these employment practices throughout its value chain.

Addressing social impacts throughout our value chain

The main actions led by Worldline to promote and contribute to Human Rights alongside its value chain are based on the following dimensions:

1/ Positively influencing our supply chain

Worldline ensures dealing with Business Partners following the same high standard regarding the applicable legislations in Human rights. Furthermore, Worldline also guarantees that its Business Partners impose the same standards to their own suppliers and subcontractors. To learn more about the key initiatives led and implemented toward our supply chain, please read our blog article dedicated to our “Sustainable Procurement” approach.

2/ Empowering our local communities

Worldline continuously promotes Human Rights in the local communities where the company operates. The company undertakes corporate citizenship activities in the following key areas that help solving local issues such as providing social care to children for youth empowerment, promoting education and employability through digital inclusion and fighting against disease, and supporting local charities and fundraising activities.

Key results and progress regarding Worldline’s approach towards Human Rights

As part of its CSR strategy and its long-term TRUST 2020 & 2025 ambitions, Worldline has already succeeded in releasing a wide range of societal indicators measuring its progresses in terms of Human Rights. Among the main 2021 achievements in the Human Rights area, we can highlight :

· Worldline obtained the Platinum Level in the EcoVadis assessment, which is the highest level of recognition;

• 86% total spending on strategic suppliers assessed by EcoVadis in 2021 (up from 54% in 2020) in alignment with the Trust 2025 objectives;
• 94,7% of employees were trained with the Code of Ethics;
• +6% of disabled workforce in the countries imposing legal requirements;
• The percentage of female employees was 34%;
• Worldline raised €6,202,553 from 19.4 million transactions from its solutions, representing a 30% growth compared with 2020

To learn more about our TRUST 2025 Programme and discover our new ambitions and 2021 results, please read our dedicated PR, our Integrated Report 2020 or visit our CSR dedicated webpage on our corporate website.

For more information about Worldline CSR journey, feel free to contact us at InfoCSR@worldline.com