Respect for human rights

Human rights in the workplace

We apply the principles set out in the International Labour Organization's (ILO) Tripartite Declaration on Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy: 

• freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining 

• the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour 

• the effective abolition of child labour 

• the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation 

We are committed to ensuring decent working conditions and a work environment free from all forms of discrimination or abuse, by establishing working relationships characterised by fairness, equality, non-discrimination, care and respect for the dignity of the individual, as reflected in Eni's policy against violence and harassment in the workplace.

We have endorsed the UN Women Empowerment Principles (WEP) to emphasise our commitment to promoting gender equality and empowering women, as outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 SDGs. Joining the WEPs allowed us to initiate a process of performance self-assessment based on the Gender Gap Analysis Tool and, therefore, to implement an Action Plan to build an increasingly cross-company approach to gender equality and women’s empowerment issues.

The supply chain

Our strategy is aimed at ensuring the full commitment of the entire supply chain to upholding human rights. This includes not only specific assessments and contractual requirements, but also engaging suppliers in initiatives to effectively obtain and monitor human rights awareness and attention.

The adoption of a risk-based assessment model makes it possible to analyse and classify suppliers in terms of the level of potential risk based on the context in the country and their activities. In order to formalise and strengthen our commitment to fundamental values and in particular to respect for human rights, companies that work with us are required to sign the “Supplier Code of Conduct”, an agreement that guides and shapes relations at all stages of the procurement process according to the principles of social responsibility, including human rights.

Learn more about relations with suppliers:

• eniSpace
• Sustainable Procurement
• Open-es

We seek to ensure that our partners adhere to the principles set out in our commitment documents. Every effort is made to include ad hoc human rights clauses in contractual agreements related to activities carried out with or for Eni.

Local communities

We respect the rights of individuals and local communities in the countries where we work, focusing in particular on the protection of the environment and biodiversity, on the preservation of local cultures and the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. We protect the right to access to water, to ownership and use of land and natural resources.

We are committed to respecting the specific rights of indigenous peoples in accordance with international standards, the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention (ILO169) and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

Before initiating our business or local development activities, we conduct prior, free and informed consultations with stakeholders to meet their legitimate expectations regarding the design and implementation of activities and their participation.

For industrial projects considered to be at higher risk, we conduct specific studies, a Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA), and a Human Rights Risk Analysis (HRRA), which include a preliminary analysis of the local context and possible engagement of “rightholders”. This identifies potential negative impacts, recommendations and prevention and mitigation measures that translate into concrete Action Plans.

Security

In line with international reference standards, the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights and the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, we have developed a coherent set of rules and tools to be followed by all security personnel protecting Eni employees and facilities. This ensures that:

• contractual terms include provisions on respect for human rights
• suppliers of security providers are selected on the basis of human rights considerations, among other criteria
• security operators and supervisors receive appropriate training on respect for human rights
• events that are considered to be at greater risk are handled in accordance with international standards.

Assessing Human Rights Risk with in the supply chain

From the application of the risk-model of Eni’s procurement process, an on-site audit was conducted in a high-risk African Country on a local supplier working in a critical sector for employees’ human rights. The aim of the inspection was to evaluate the supplier’s human rights management in highlighting its strong and weak points.

The assessment

The assessment was conducted to evaluate the human rights practices of a supplier, employing various engagement methods. The process started with the supplier’s active involvement, encouraging open communication and cooperation throughout the assessment. An on-site visit was conducted to gain knowledge of the supplier’s operations and work environment. The working conditions were observed to assess compliance with human rights standards. Furthermore, interviews were conducted with both managers and workers such as to gain valuable insights into their experiences and perspectives. Additionally, a comprehensive review of the company’s policies and procedures was conducted through the examination of relevant documents. An analysis of the company records for the last three years was performed, focusing on sensitive documents so as to ensure thoroughness. Finally, the assessment results were shared with the supplier, and a well-defined improvement action plan was developed to address any identified gaps, thereby promoting continuous enhancement of human rights practices.

Key audit and nonconformities

From the assessment different nonconformities and findings resulted: there were delays in the payment of contributions for pension funds and delays in payments of salaries. Moreover, it was observed that most of the employees were not aware or instructed in regularly checking their pension funds accounts to ensure that their contributions were up to date.

Action plan

The findings underscored improvement areas in the supplier’s financial practices and employee engagement. Thus, the following action plan was requested to the supplier. First and foremost, a root cause analysis was performed to verify why salaries and contributions were credited in delay, and consequently, evidence of resulting corrective actions was asked to supplier. The supplier was also requested to provide the contract holder monthly with evidence to prove that contributions and salaries have been credited to the employees’ accounts in a timely manner. Furthermore, to increase the employees’ alertness, the vendor was solicited to provide the hired hand a specific training session regarding their funds and salary accounts.

Success story

Thanks to the shared action plan, improvement in human rights management was obtained from the supplier with the requested period of time. From the evidence provided during the assessment’s follow up phase, the issues with the payments of pension funds resulted closed and no further complaints were received. This demonstrated a significant growth in the financial management of the supplier’s operations. An improvement in the prompt payment of the pension funds was noticed, as well as the timely payment of salaries. Detailed documentation to ensure proper tracking of payments and better contract administration was provided by the contractor proving progress as regards managing obligations. Lastly, the employees of the supplier resulted in being competent in checking the status of their statements and accounts. Overall, these improvements demonstrate the supplier’s commitment to addressing the issues identified during the assessment, resulting in enhanced payment processes, better documentation practices, and increased employee engagement in financial matters. This case study represents an example of how Eni approaches human rights management within the supply chain. The strategy in facing human rights violation is based up on the supplier’s active engagement, collaboration and clear communication. Eni monitors the implementation of the defined action plan in considering the above-mentioned principles. Not all of the assessments result in a success story like the one described in the case study: vendors that do not result as being compliant with the requested corrective action are subjected to exclusion from Eni vendor lists and so all of their business is interrupted.

^{a) Among the stakeholders consulted: Asociación de Padres de Familia de Sánchez Magallanes; Asociación de Padres de Familia de San Rafael; Capitánia de Puerto de Sánchez Magallanes; CONAPESCA (Comisión Nacional de Acuacultura y Pesca); Municipio de Cardenas - Departamento Jurídico; Municipal delegates of Ojoshal and Villa y Puerto Andrés Sánchez Magallanes; PROEDU Community Worker (Sánchez Magallanes y San Rafael); Sánchez Magallanes Health Centre; Secretaría de Desarrollo Agropecuario, Forestal y Pesca del Estado de Tabasco (SEDAFOP); Secretaría para el Desarrollo Energético del Estado de Tabasco (SEDENER); Fishing cooperatives; Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco (UJAT); Zona Escolar, 46 teachers and 46 Supervisor.}