32
Impact on developing markets
Organisation
Health and safety details
Our strategy
Within Group Human Resources, our Health Affairs
department initiates and coordinates the activities
we undertake in the area of occupational health
and safety, particularly in markets where we
provide basic health care. To this end we operate
a network of clinics with our own doctors and
nurses that provide first-line medical aid in sub-
Saharan Africa. We have the facilities and know-
how to diagnose and treat infectious diseases such
as malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. Our efforts
in this area are also aimed at prevention of these
diseases through simple measures such as giving
our employees and their direct dependents
adequate information and making available
preventive items such as impregnated bednets
against mosquitoes or condoms to protect against
sexually transmitted diseases.
The promotion and sales of our brands in bars
and restaurants by agency employed professional
BPs is a common and accepted practice in several
countries. Heineken is aware of the potential issues
related to this way of selling and promoting beer
in these countries, such as Cambodia. Heineken
acknowledges its responsibility and strives for
continuous improvement of the health and safety
of BPs. Heineken issues guidelines in its breweries
and for its sales organisations. These cover human
resources issues, organisation of work and health
and safety training, information and education.
Activities in 2007
We put emphasis on raising the awareness on
the long-term health effects of working under
unhealthy and unsafe conditions. The fact that
such conditions could lead to work-related
illnesses is not widely understood in all cultures.
Therefore, our local doctors have been trained in
early-stage diagnosis of these illnesses. In addition,
a training tool for all local employees on work-
related illnesses (such as hearing loss due to noise
exposure and muscular or skeletal illnesses due to
lifting weights) was introduced in sub-Saharan Africa.
Situation 2003
Situation 2007
No written contracts
Limited commercial training
No health and safety training
No clear supervision system
No complete door-to-door transportation
BPs not involved in design of uniform
BPs find it difficult to deal with alcohol and alcohol-
related rules
No health safety clause in contract of Heineken/BP
employer
BPs receive written contracts
Structural commercial training is given on regular basis
Structural and regular health safety training
Clear supervision system in place
Door-to-door transportation is provided
The input from BPs in the uniform design is taken into
account
BPs still find it difficult to deal with alcohol and alcohol-
related rules
Health safety clause in contract with Heineken/BP
employer
BPs have no clear idea on availability of public health
clinics
Little knowledge of sexual and reproductive health
There are misconceptions about HIV transmission
Alarming levels of (sexual) harassment-related rules
BPs have clear idea on availability of public health
clinics
BPs share knowledge of sexual and reproductive health
There is clarity on HIV transmission
(Sexual) harassment still exists
Heineken N.V. Sustainability Report 2007
