to operate our facilities. We depend on these
communities in many ways; for example, by
using water and infrastructure. Yet, we also
give back, largely through local taxes and
through employment, but also through support
of activities that benefit the citizens in the areas
in which we operate or the communities at large.
In 2006, our operating companies spent
approximately €6 million on community
involvement projects, mainly in developing
countries. This figure is an estimate based on our
annual Operating Company Survey. Although this
is a substantial amount, we believe that it is not
always used as effectively as it could be, due
to a lack of understanding among our operating
companies. Consequently, during 2006, we
constructed and tested a common database,
which can be used on all community involvement
projects undertaken throughout Heineken. The
pilot was successful, with participating operating
companies reporting that it added value and that
it provided useful insights. The database will be
rolled out further during 2007.
Employee rights
Our employees are entitled to the rights outlined
in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and
numerous conventions from the International
Labour Organisation. In many countries these
rights are further elaborated in local legislation
and are, if necessary, enforced by government.
In some countries, government fails to implement
the core ILO conventions or are not consistent in
their implementation. Consequently, in the
absence of a clear and reliable legal framework,
companies must define their own modus operandi.
This is also true for Heineken in some locations.
In 2006, research undertaken by the Dutch trade
union FNV Mondiaal was finalised. In March 2007,
a number of reports focusing on the behaviour
of Dutch multinational enterprises in several
countries were presented in an open forum. In
our case, research undertaken at our operations
located in Croatia, Indonesia and our joint venture
in Ghana, demonstrated that we take the rights
of, and our obligations to, our employees seriously.
At the same time, certain areas for further
improvement were highlighted to local
management. We have invited FNV Mondiaal
to repeat the same research exercise in three
years time to assess if progress has been made.
In November 2006, Heineken, along with other
Dutch multinational enterprises, was accused by
the chairperson of Dutch trade union FNV of
actively lobbying against a proposal for reform
of the Chinese labour contract law. Investigations
Heineken N.V.
Sustainability Report 2006
