situation in areas and countries in which we do business. The internal component, which we refer to as 'employee rights', lies within our direct sphere of influence and is therefore our first priority. Employee rights include: the right to equal treatment and opportunity; the right to engage in discussions leading to collective labour agreements; the right to form and join unions of one's own choice. Through our annual measurements we keep track of our operating companies' performance in upholding employee rights. To help them make an active contribution to the development of the business, virtually all Heineken employees are kept informed on a systematic basis of developments within their companies. In the majority of our companies, employees are consulted when changes are made to the organisation. More than half of our companies have complaints procedures. Heineken promotes representation of employees by works councils and trade unions. We guarantee the freedom of labour to organise and to give employees the right to be recognised via trade unions as partners in negotiations about their terms of employment. The extent to which employees exercise that right varies significantly from region to region, reflecting local circumstances, traditions and cultures. In total 36 per cent of our employees are members of a trade union or another representative body. Appointments and promotions are made solely on the basis of candidates' education and training, personality, expertise, skills and reasonable demands. Heineken bases decisions in personnel matters solely on objective criteria. Within reasonable limits, Heineken respects the personal beliefs and convictions of existing and future employees. Diversity within our organisation, in terms of nationality, gender, ethnicity and educational standard, is crucial if we are to retain our position as one of the world's leading brewers. We take the view that diversity in leadership enables the company to view its operations from different perspectives, helping us to steer our business towards a successful future that involves more than simply repeating the past. The male: female ratio across our entire workforce is 82:18 and 88:12 at senior management level. Harassment, including sexual harassment, can be harmful to employees' physical and mental integrity. To guarantee a safe working environment, we protect employees against such abuse. Many of our operating companies have taken measures to protect their employees; some have put Heineken N.V. - 2004/2005 Sustainability Report

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Heineken - Milieuverslag | 2004 | | pagina 55