Statoil is proud of its cooperation agreement with the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM). Chief executive Olav Fjell has decided to present the agreement as an example of how Statoil is fulfilling its commitments to the UN’s Global Compact.
Global Compact is a partnership between the UN, the business community and voluntary organisations in the areas of human rights, workers’ rights and the environment. All companies that support Global Compact are asked to provide examples of how they practise social responsibility.
Teamwork with the ICEM illustrates how Statoil promotes workers’ rights by cooperating with an international trade union, says Geir Westgaard, Statoil’s vice president for political risk and country analysis.
The agreement acts as a channel for the exchange of information about work-related issues. It is also a tool for the group’s improvement work both in Norway and internationally, says Mr Westgaard.
The ICEM agreement is the first of its kind between an international employee organisation and an individual company. It was signed in 1998 and extended by two years in March. The Norwegian Oil and Petrochemical Workers’ Union (Nopef) is also part of the cooperation since this union acted as a link between the ICEM and Statoil.