Whistleblowing
Invitation To Tender KUALA LUMPUR, 10 January: FGV Holdings Berhad (FGV) continues to make good progress in its efforts to modify the Withhold Release Order (WRO) issued by the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
FGV has given top priority to implement a remediation plan to uphold labour rights and address any gaps in its labour practices. A key component of FGV’s remediation programme is the reimbursement of recruitment fees imposed on its migrant workers by third-party recruitment agencies.
In line with its commitment to ethical and responsible recruitment standards and the principle of ‘no recruitment fee’ for workers, FGV has allocated a total of RM112 million to reimburse recruitment fees to its migrant workers, including former migrant workers. The reimbursements to workers were made in three tranches that were paid in March, June, and September 2023 respectively. To date, a total of RM72.2 million has been reimbursed to 19,673 workers.
FGV has allocated a total of RM112 million to reimburse recruitment fees to its migrant workers, including former migrant workers.
Upon completion of the reimbursement programme for its current workers, FGV appointed LRQA, formerly known as ELEVATE to conduct a verification of the reimbursement exercise. LRQA is a leading global assurance partner, with a dedicated sustainability consulting department with vast experience in advancing social compliance and addressing forced labour risks by applying a worker-centric approach.
LRQA’s verification procedures, which took place between 30 October and 24 November 2023, concluded that 100 percent of the workers who were interviewed had received all three tranches of the reimbursement exercise made by FGV. The positive outcome of LRQA’s verification process reflects FGV’s determination to fulfill its commitment to recompense its workers and to safeguard workers’ rights and welfare.
FGV is also implementing a reimbursement programme for its former migrant workers who are eligible to receive recruitment fee reimbursements from FGV. With the support of LRQA, FGV is reaching out to its former workers to inform them about the reimbursement programme which is publicised periodically on FGV’s social media accounts as well as in local newspapers in the workers’ countries of origin. The former worker reimbursement programme will be carried out until end of 2024. To date, FGV has reimbursed 415 of its former workers amounting to RM1.77 million.
“FGV is fully committed to the principle of ‘no recruitment fee for workers’. We have made every effort towards ensuring that our recruitment procedures are aligned with ethical recruitment standards,” said Dato’ Nazrul Mansor, Group Chief Executive Officer of FGV.
FGV has also strengthened its procedures for the recruitment of migrant workers by instituting additional measures including engaging LRQA to conduct surveys among the newly recruited workers to ascertain if they had paid any recruitment fees.
FGV’s revised agreements with appointed recruitment agencies stipulate the obligation of recruitment agencies to reimburse workers who claim to have made any form of fee during recruitment. All reimbursements to be made by the recruitment agencies to workers will be verified by LRQA. Furthermore, recruitment agencies will be screened before their appointments and are required to undergo an assessment and capacity-building programme facilitated by LRQA to ensure ethical recruitment standards compliance.
FGV believes that these initiatives and measures will further strengthen its labour practices as FGV continues its efforts in lifting the WRO. LRQA is expected to conduct its follow-up assessment in the first quarter of 2024 which is to verify the implementation of FGV’s overall remediation plan. With the outcome of the assessment, FGV will then prepare a petition to the CBP to modify the WRO, which will be submitted by the end of the second quarter of 2024.
FGV’s commitment to labour rights and sustainability is part of a broader trend in the industry towards more ethical and sustainable business practices. As companies around the world face increasing pressure to address issues such as forced labour and environmental degradation, FGV is leading the way in demonstrating how businesses can make a positive impact.
To learn more about FGV, watch FGV’s new corporate video available on its social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube, as well as on its website: www.fgvholdings.com.
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KUALA LUMPUR, 10 Januari: FGV Holdings Berhad (FGV) meneruskan perkembangan positif dalam usaha syarikat untuk menangani Perintah Pelepasan Penahanan (WRO) yang dikeluarkan oleh Jabatan Kastam dan Perlindungan Sempadan (CBP) Amerika Syarikat.
FGV memberi keutamaan kepada pelaksanaan pelan pemulihan bagi mendukung hak pekerja serta membuat segala penambahbaikan dalam amalan pengurusan pekerja. Antara komponen utama dalam pelan pemulihan FGV adalah program pembayaran balik yuran pengambilan pekerja yang dikenakan oleh pihak ketiga ke atas pekerja-pekerja migran FGV.
Sejajar dengan komitmen syarikat dalam mengamalkan pengambilan pekerja beretika dan bertanggungjawab serta tidak mengenakan yuran pengambilan pekerja, FGV telah memperuntukkan sejumlah RM112 juta bagi membayar balik yuran pengambilan yang telah dibuat oleh semua pekerja migran sedia ada termasuk bekas pekerja migran FGV. Pembayaran balik kepada pekerja migran sedia ada FGV telah dibuat dalam tiga peringkat yang dibuat pada bulan Mac, Jun dan September 2023. Setakat ini, sejumlah RM72.2 juta telah dibayar balik kepada 19,673 orang pekerja.
FGV telah memperuntukkan sejumlah RM112 juta bagi membayar balik yuran pengambilan yang telah dibuat oleh semua pekerja migran sedia ada termasuk bekas pekerja migran FGV.
Dalam proses pengesahan pembayaran balik kepada pekerja migran, FGV telah melantik syarikat konsultan antarabangsa, LRQA – yang sebelum ini dikenali sebagai ELEVATE, bagi kerja-kerja pengesahan usaha pembayaran balik yang telah dibuat. LRQA merupakan sebuah konsultan bebas dalam bidang kelestarian dan rantaian bekalan yang mempunyai pengalaman luas dalam kerja-kerja pematuhan sosial dan menangani pertuduhan isu buruh paksa melalui pendekatan mengutamakan pekerja.
Prosedur pengesahan oleh LRQA yang berjalan antara 30 Oktober dan 24 November 2023 telah menunjukkan bahawa 100 peratus pekerja yang ditemubual telah menerima pembayaran balik yang dibuat oleh FGV. Maklumbalas positif dari kerja-kerja pengesahan oleh LRQA jelas mencerminkan komitmen FGV dalam menjaga kebajikan dan hak pekerja.
FGV turut melaksanakan program pembayaran balik kepada bekas pekerja migran FGV yang layak menerima pampasan bagi yuran pengambilan pekerjaan yang dikenakan oleh pihak ketiga. Dengan kerjasama LRQA, FGV sedang bekerja keras menghubungi semula bekas-bekas pekerja migran FGV untuk memaklumkan mengenai program pembayaran balik.
Penghebahan tentang bayaran balik ini disiarkan secara berkala di media sosial serta akhbar-akhbar tempatan terkemuka di negara asal bekas pekerja migran. Usaha-usaha pembayaran balik bekas pekerja migran FGV ini akan dijalankan sehingga penghujung 2024. Sehingga kini, FGV telah membayar pampasan kepada 415 orang bekas perkerja migran dengan jumlah terkumpul sebanyak RM1.77 juta.
“FGV komited kepada prinsip ‘tiada yuran pengambilan dikenakan kepada pekerja FGV’ dan kami telah berusaha untuk memastikan prosedur pengambilan pekerja syarikat adalah selari dengan piawaian amalan pengambilan pekerja beretika,” kata Dato’ Nazrul Mansor, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Kumpulan FGV.
FGV juga telah memperkukuhkan prosedur-prosedur bagi pengambilan pekerja migran dengan pelaksanaan langkah-langkah tambahan termasuk menugaskan LRQA untuk mengadakan kaji selidik di kalangan pekerja migran baharu bagi memastikan mereka tidak membuat sebarang bayaran pengambilan pekerjaan kepada mana-mana pihak.
Perjanjian terkini FGV bersama agensi-agensi pekerjaan yang dilantik turut menyatakan tanggungjawab mereka untuk memulangkan sebarang bayaran yuran pengambilan pekerja yang telah dilaporkan oleh pekerja-pekerja migran. Segala pemulangan yang dibuat oleh agensi-agensi pekerjaan akan disemak oleh LRQA. Tambahan lagi, latar belakang agensi-agensi pekerjaan akan disiasat sebelum pelantikan dibuat oleh FGV. Agensi-agensi pekerjaan juga diwajibkan untuk menjalani proses penilaian dan program naik taraf yang dikendalikan oleh LRQA bagi memastikan pematuhan kepada amalan pengambilan pekerja yang beretika.
FGV percaya bahawa inisiatif-inisiatif serta langkah-langkah ini akan memperkukuhkan amalan pengurusan pekerja FGV, sejajar dengan usaha-usaha FGV untuk menamatkan WRO. LRQA dijangka akan menjalankan penilaian lanjut pada suku pertama 2024 bagi menilai pelaksanaan keseluruhan perancangan pemulihan FGV. Sekiranya penilaian tersebut mendapati perancangan pemulihan berjalan lancar, FGV akan menghantar petisyen kepada CBP bagi menamatkan WRO, yang dijangka akan dibuat pada suku kedua 2024.
Komitmen FGV dalam mendukung hak pekerja dan agenda kelestarian adalah sebahagian daripada perkembangan industri ke arah perniagaan beretika dan lestari. Syarikat-syarikat antarabangsa kini sedang menghadapi tekanan daripada isu-isu seperti buruh paksa serta kemerosotan alam sekitar. FGV ingin menjadi organisasi yang maju dalam perniagaan serta membawa impak positif kepada alam sekitar dan masyarakat.
Bagi maklumat lanjut berkenaan Kumpulan FGV, sila tontoni video korporat terbaru FGV di platform media sosial – Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, LinkedIn dan YouTube, serta layari laman sesawang di www.fgvholdings.com .
TAMAT