Joint Statement of METRO Group and UNI Global Union

METRO GROUP and the international trade union UNI Global Union have decided to reaffirm their efforts for fair working conditions supporting sustainable business growth. Therefore both parties signed a joint statement which particularly underlines the mutual commitment to a good and lasting working relationship. (Press release of the Group Metro)

The statement refers to METRO GROUP's ongoing commitments to ILO's labour standards, including the recognized right to collective bargaining and the freedom of association of employees. By signing the statement METRO GROUP recognizes the role that unions can play in representing employees' interests. UNI Global Union on the other hand stresses that it recognizes METRO GROUP as an internationally responsible employer with "excellent practices in employee relations" as it is expressed in the statement. "Social responsibility is a significant element of the METRO GROUP's corporate culture. It reflects our ongoing commitment to fair and equitable working conditions and a constructive social partnership with employees and their representatives such as trade unions. This joint statement with UNI Global Union reaffirms us in our mutual role, highlights positively our engagement to promote good and trusting relations between our company and employee representative bodies", said Heiko Hutmacher, Board Member of METRO AG responsible for Human Resources. "This Joint Statement sets the framework for an effective and equitable partnership between UNI Global Union and METRO GROUP to jointly resolve labour and human rights issues and to reinforce METRO GROUP’s long standing commitments on trade unions and collective bargaining," said UNI General Secretary Philip Jennings. "We appreciate that METRO GROUP commits itself to strict principles and continues to be a model of responsible international retailing." Fair working conditions and social partnership have been an integral and long term part of METRO GROUP's business operations and have been formalized as METRO GROUP's Business Principles since 2004. They stipulate the aim of creating a work environment characterized by respect, fairness and partnership. (Press release of the Group Metro)