At Fresh People, we believe in the inherent dignity of every individual and are committed to upholding and promoting human rights in all aspects of our recruitment process. As specialists in providing permanent recruitment solutions to predominantly the fresh produce and food manufacturing industries, we recognize our role in ensuring that the candidates we place and the customers we serve operate within frameworks that respect, protect, and promote human rights.

This policy sets out our commitment to ethical recruitment practices that respect the rights of candidates and clients alike and outlines the standards we expect from our clients to ensure that human rights are upheld throughout their organizations.

1. Commitment to Human Rights

Fresh People supports the principles set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is dedicated to protecting the rights of all individuals involved in our recruitment processes. We are committed to:

– Treating all candidates and clients with dignity, fairness, and respect.
– Promoting a work environment free from discrimination, harassment, or exploitation.
– Ensuring that all employment opportunities provided through our services respect basic human rights standards.

2. No Forced or Involuntary Practice

Fresh People strictly prohibits all forms of forced, bonded, or involuntary practices. We are committed to ensuring that:

– All candidates we place are working of their own free will
– No fees are charged to candidates for job placement.
– We verify that our clients uphold this principle and do not engage in practices that might result in forced or involuntary practices

3. No Child Labor

Fresh People opposes the use of child labour. We ensure that:

– All candidates recruited are of legal working age in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
– Clients adhere to national and international standards regarding the prohibition of child labour.

4. Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity

We believe in equal opportunity for all candidates and are committed to ensuring that:

– No one is discriminated against on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, or any other protected characteristic during the recruitment process.
– We actively promote diversity and inclusion in the roles we recruit for across all industries

We expect our clients to provide equal opportunities within their organizations and to foster a diverse, inclusive, and non-discriminatory work environment.

5. *Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining

Fresh People respects the rights of all employees to freedom of association and collective bargaining. We expect our clients to:

– Support the right of employees to form or join unions or other worker organizations.
– Engage in good faith with any worker organizations to ensure fair representation and negotiation of terms and conditions.

6. Fair Wages and Working Conditions

Fresh People is committed to ensuring that all roles we place meet the legal standards for wages and working conditions. We guarantee that:

– All candidates we place are compensated fairly, at or above the minimum wage in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
– Candidates are fully informed of the terms and conditions of employment, including wages, hours of work, and any benefits.
– We expect our clients to provide a safe, healthy, and fair working environment for all employees.

7. Health and Safety

As recruiters for the fresh produce and food manufacturing sectors, we are acutely aware of the importance of health and safety. Fresh People commits to:

– Placing candidates only in roles that comply with legal health and safety standards.
– Ensuring that clients provide a safe working environment, minimizing the risk of injury and illness.
– Expecting clients to implement health and safety measures that protect employees in all roles, especially in labour-intensive industries

8. Right to Privacy*

We respect the right to privacy for all individuals, both candidates and clients. Fresh People will:

– Protect the personal information of all candidates and clients in accordance with GDPR and other relevant data protection laws.
– Ensure that any data collected is handled responsibly and used only for legitimate recruitment purposes.

9. Grievance and Reporting Mechanisms

Fresh People provides a transparent and confidential mechanism for candidates and clients to raise concerns or grievances related to human rights violations. We commit to:

– Offering accessible channels for reporting unethical practices, discrimination, harassment, or any other human rights abuses.
– Investigating and addressing any grievances in a timely and fair manner.
– Protecting whistleblowers and ensuring that no one suffers retaliation for raising legitimate concerns about human rights issues.

10. Client Responsibilities

At Fresh People, we believe that respecting human rights is a shared responsibility. We expect our clients to:

– Comply with all relevant legal requirements and human rights standards in the employment of permanent candidates.
– Ensure that their employment practices align with the principles outlined in this policy.
– Implement policies that actively promote the protection and respect of human rights within their organizations.

We will work only with clients who share our commitment to ethical practices and will cease partnerships with clients found to be in violation of human rights standards.

11. Continuous Improvement

Human rights are at the core of our business practices, and Fresh People is committed to continuously reviewing and improving our policies. We will:

– Regularly assess our recruitment processes and relationships with clients to ensure ongoing compliance with human rights principles.
– Actively engage with clients, candidates, and other stakeholders to raise awareness and promote best practices related to human rights in the workplace.

At Fresh People, we are dedicated to recruiting candidates in a way that respects and upholds human rights. We expect our clients to share this commitment and to work with us to ensure that every employee is treated with fairness, dignity, and respect.

By partnering with Fresh People, you agree to adhere to the principles and standards outlined in this Human Rights Policy, ensuring a fair and just working environment for all.

For further information or inquiries regarding this policy, please contact us at enquiries@freshpeople.co.uk

This policy demonstrates Fresh People’s dedication to promoting human rights and ethical practices, ensuring that we create a respectful and fair recruitment process for all involved.