ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY FOR VIOLENCE & HARASSMENT AT WORK
Purpose
The purpose of this Policy of the HARIS COTTON company is to protect employees and other persons related to HARIS COTTON, from violence and harassment that occur during, are connected to or arise from the work of the company.
HARIS COTTON has zero tolerance for any kind of violence or harassment in the workplace and will be active in the prevention of violence and harassment in it.
HARIS COTTON is committed to investigating reported incidents of violence and harassment in an objective and timely manner, taking necessary action and providing appropriate support to the parties involved.
Zero Tolerance Guarantee
This Policy will ensure that employees at HARIS COTTON have a work environment free from any form of violence or harassment, whether it comes from another employee or any other person who visits the workplace or interacts with staff.
This Policy will ensure that:
• Individuals know and understand that acts of violence or harassment are considered a serious offense for which the necessary measures will be imposed.
• People who experience acts of violence or harassment are encouraged to access whatever help they need to make a complaint.
• Individuals are informed of the available means of recourse in case they perceive situations of violence or harassment.
HARIS COTTON does not tolerate any incident of workplace violence or harassment committed against or by any employee, customer, supplier, contractor, visitor or any other person at the company.
With respect to workplace violence and harassment as defined by this Policy, any violation may result in:
• Removal from the company’s premises.
• Disciplinary action or dismissal.
• Police involvement. All physical assaults involving an employee or occurring at HARIS COTTON will be reported to the police. Threats of physical violence will be reported to the authorities, as appropriate.
If any employee engages in workplace violence or harassment, an immediate investigation will be conducted. The employee involved will face disciplinary action, which may include immediate dismissal.
People it concerns
SM-005/01 01/10/2022
This Policy is addressed to HARIS COTTON employees regardless of contractual status, persons exercising the authority, duties and responsibilities of the employer, persons attending training, including trainees and apprentices, workers whose employment relationship has been terminated, volunteers, person job seekers and job applicants and persons exercising the authority, duties and responsibilities of the employer.
Application area
This Policy refers to the workplace, specifically the offices and facilities thereof including public and private spaces that constitute workplaces, such as customer facilities, places where the employee is paid, takes a rest or meal break, or uses toilets, sinks and changing rooms, during work-related commuting, travel, training, events or social activities, and when the employee is traveling to and from work. This Policy also applies to work-related communications, including those carried out through information and communication technologies.
Definitions
Violence and Harassment: Means the forms of behavior, acts, practices or threats thereof, which are intended, lead or may lead to physical, psychological, sexual or financial harm, whether manifested individually or repeatedly.
Harassment: Means the forms of behavior, which have as a purpose or result the violation of the dignity of the person and the creation of an intimidating, hostile, humiliating or aggressive environment, regardless of whether they constitute a form of discrimination, and include harassment due to gender or for other reasons distinction.
Harassment due to gender: Means the forms of behavior related to the gender of a person, which have the purpose or result of violating the dignity of that person and creating an intimidating, hostile, humiliating or aggressive environment according to article 2 of Law 3896/2010 (A’ 107) and par. 2 of article 2 of Law 4443/2016 (A’ 232). These forms of behavior include the sexual harassment of Law 3896/2010, as well as forms of behavior linked to the sexual orientation, expression, identity or gender characteristics of the person.
Responsibilities
Administrator and Members of the Administration:
They ensure that:
• All reasonable preventive measures are taken to protect employees and others in the company from violence and harassment in the workplace.
• A risk assessment of the of workplace violence is carried out.
• To immediately report any violent or potentially violent incident to their supervisor/supervisor.
• In case of extreme or immediate threat of physical harm to themselves or to any person in the company, the employees should contact the Authorities.
• Cooperate fully in any investigation of complaints or incidents of violence or harassment in the workplace, as stated in this Policy.
Measures against Violence and Harassment
Measures and administrative practices to prevent and control the risks of violence and harassment may include:
• Encouragement to maintain a working climate where respect for human dignity, cooperation and mutual assistance are key values.
• Open communication between the employer and his direct supervisors and colleagues.
• Report/complaint management process.
• Ensuring that employees have the necessary training/information to perform their duties, particularly in jobs that have a higher risk of incidents of violence and harassment.
• Measures of a technical nature, such as organization of dealing with emergencies, improvement of lighting, etc.
• Actions to raise employees’ awareness of healthy behavior patterns (eg, avoiding addictions), but also for issues concerning vulnerable categories of employees.
• Guidance and support to victims of violence and harassment or victims of domestic violence to reintegrate into the workplace.
• Employee training in violence incident management procedures.
• Assessing on a regular basis the effectiveness of applied preventive and countermeasures and reviewing/updating the risk assessment and measures.
Domestic violence
All employees, if they know that another employee is experiencing violence outside the workplace, which may create a danger to themselves or others in the workplace, is encouraged to report the violence in question to their supervisor so that the necessary preventive measures can be taken for the protection of all workers.
These measures may include: employment protection, the provision of special leave or flexible work arrangements at the request of the working victim of domestic violence, in order to support him in maintaining work and in his smooth reintegration after such incidents, particularly in cases where there are under aged children or children with special capabilities or serious illnesses.
Responding to a reported incident of violence or harassment
Any employee who observes or becomes a victim of violence or harassment in the workplace must immediately go to a safe place and report it to the SMETA Department Manager. At Management’s:
• Procedures, policies and work environment arrangements are in place to eliminate workers’ risk of violence.
• All safety and protection systems are properly maintained and tested.
• The required training of all employees regarding this Policy is carried out.
• The Policy is reviewed regularly with the participation of employees to ensure that any new risks of violence are identified.
• Reporting procedures regarding workplace violence and harassment are established.
• There is effective response and investigation of incidents of workplace violence and harassment.
• This Policy is communicated to all staff.
Reference Person
It is the responsibility of the SMETA Department Manager:
• To receive, investigate and manage any complaint or related report with zero tolerance for violence and harassment, with confidentiality and in a manner that respects human dignity.
• Not to interfere with the receipt, investigation and management of such complaints or reports.
• To guide and inform employees about the prevention and treatment of violence and harassment at work.
• Cooperate and provide any relevant information to the competent authorities, if requested.
Supervisory staff are responsible for ensuring that:
• This Policy is properly implemented and communicated to employees.
• All employees in their department are adequately trained in the company’s procedures regarding workplace violence and harassment risk factors.
• All employees are encouraged to report complaints or incidents of workplace violence and harassment.
• All reports/complaints/incidents of workplace violence and/or harassment will be dealt with in an appropriate and timely manner.
• All complaints or incidents of workplace violence and/or harassment will be immediately reported to Management and investigated immediately.
Employees
It is the responsibility of every employee to:
• Comply with this policy and all related procedures at all times for own protection and the protection of others in the workplace.
These measures may include recommending compliance, changing the position, time, place or method of providing work or terminating the employment or partnership relationship, subject to applicable Law.
Non-Retaliation Policy
If any employee experiences workplace violence or harassment, an immediate investigation will be conducted. The employee responsible for the violence or harassment may face disciplinary action, which may include immediate dismissal.
Reporters and witnesses of acts of violence or harassment will be protected from retaliation if they acted in good faith and complied with applicable law and this Policy.
The company undertakes to comply with the obligation to prohibit reta|iation, in accordance with article 13 of Law 4808/2021 and with the provisions of the labor legislation.
Communication, Training and Consulting
HARIS COTTON’s Workplace Violence and Harassment Prevention Policy is part of the company’s audited Management System documentation. All employees, including new or returning employees, as well as management personnel at all levels will be trained on the content of this violence prevention policy and program.
The Safety Technician informs Management of the Legislation applicable to violence in the workplace, in order to take appropriate measures during and after violent situations. The current legislation includes Law 4808/2021.
The company is committed to providing staff with information and information in accessible formats, as appropriate, on the risks of violence and harassment, as well as on the related prevention and protection measures, on the procedures that exist at company level and on the possibilities given by law in case of such incidents.
As part of staff awareness, the company may, among other things:
• To organize targeted staff meetings to discuss relevant issues and address potential risks in a timely manner.
• To include this Policy in the consultation meetings with staff on Health and Safety at Work.
• Conduct seminars with mental health specialists or counseling service providers, representatives of voluntary organizations, etc.
• To encourage the participation of employee representatives and management executives in training programs and educational seminars on the recognition and management of the risks of violence and harassment at work.
Responsibilities
Responsible for implementing the rules regarding zero tolerance for harassment and violence at work:
Discretion, it may be necessary to contact the police. In case the SMETA Department Manager is not available, the staff contacts the police if deemed necessary.
All complaints and incidents must be recorded in writing by the SMETA Department Manager, providing a copy of the report to management.
The SMETA Department Manager informs the victim of his possibility, at any stage of the procedure followed within the company, to also submit a complaint to the competent Authorities as well as to the judicial authorities, of his choice.
One or more of the company’s superiors will immediately conduct an investigation. All reports will be investigated and information will be kept confidential to the possible extent. The results of the investigation will be communicated to the complainant and the person complained of as soon as possible, but no later than 3 weeks after the complaint was made.
The SMETA Department Manager will conduct:
• Documented interview with the complainant and/or victim.
• Documented interview with the alleged perpetrator(s).
• Documented interview with any witnesses who have relevant information to provide.
• Any other step the investigator deems relevant to the investigation of the complaint or incident.
After the end of the investigation of a complaint or an incident, the SMETA Department Manager submits a written report of the findings and provides any recommendations to prevent a recurrence, to the Management and specific measures will be agreed with it.
There will be no retaliation against any employee who files a genuine complaint. However, if it is found that the false complaint was made in bad faith, appropriate action will be taken.
All employees who suffer violence or harassment in the workplace also have the right, in addition to judicial protection, to appeal to the Labor Inspectorate and the Ombudsman as a body promoting and supervising the principle of equal treatment, in accordance with Law 3896/ 2010 (A’ 207) and Law 4443/2016 (A’ 232).
HARIS COTTON is committed to maintaining the confidentiality and protection of Personal Data collected during the complaint investigation process.
Consequences upon detection of violations
According to par. 2 of article 12 of Law 4808/2021, when an employee or another employee violates the prohibition of violence and harassment in article 4 of the same Law, the employer is obliged to take the necessary appropriate and appropriate measures on a case-by-case basis burden of the complainant, in order to prevent and not to repeat a similar incident or behavior.
KONSTANTINOS TSOUGRANIS — GENERAL DIRECTOR
Email: [email protected] Phone: +30 210 2851318