SO-ECO LABEL

1. Fair labour and terms of work

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Background

 

Responsible employers provide fair wages and respectful workplaces. However, historically, a portion of the labor force has been the subject of mistreatment such as child and forced labor, discrimination, inadequate wages, and lack of respect for workers’ rights.

The fundamental principles and rights of workers have been incorporated into various voluntary standards to protect labor rights and ensure fair working conditions.

 

Objectives

 

Maintain or enhance the social and economic well-being of waste management workers and respect internationally recognized workers’ rights.

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• Human Resources Policy 

• Workers’ organizations and agreements 

• Non-discrimination and equal opportunity 

• Retrenchment

• Grievance Mechanism 

• Disciplinary procedures

• Child Labor

• Forced Labor 

• Wages 

• Working Hours and Leave 

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2. Occupational health and safety 

 

Background

 

Occupational health impacts related to waste management activities are generally related to the risks of injuries during the collection, sorting and manipulation of waste. Physical and chemical hazard is higher when dealing with sharp, infectious and electronic waste.

 

Due to the many hazards and potential impacts associated with waste management, a strong focus on occupational health and safety must be present at responsible waste management facilities.

 

Objectives

 

Identify and avoid or mitigate occupational health and safety hazards, maintain working environments that protect workers’ health and working capacity, and promote workplace safety and health.

 

• Health and Safety Management System

• Health and Safety Risk Assessment and Management

• Communication and Engagement with Workers and Others

• Measures to Protect Workers

• Inspections, Monitoring and Investigations

• Health and Safety Data Management and Access to Information

 

3. Community Health and Safety

 

Background

 

Responsibly operated landfills, waste management and recycling facilities can play an important part in improving public health, but poor management of impacts can expose local populations to additional health and safety risks.

Both the identification of potential waste-related health and safety impacts, as well as the mitigation of those impacts will be most successfully achieved when undertaken in partnership with local stakeholders such as local community representatives, government officials, health service providers, public health officials, and community development workers, as well as mine workers who live in communities.

 

Objective

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Protect and improve the health and safety of individuals, families, and communities affected by waste management infrastructure.

 

• Health and Safety Risk and Impact Scoping

• Risk and Impact Assessment

• Risk and Impact Management and Mitigation

• Specific Provisions Related to HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria and Emerging Infectious Diseases

• Stakeholder Engagement

• Reporting