Human Rights
Alcoa is a global enterprise that does business in many dynamic markets. We rely on our culture in the first instance—Alcoa employees living Alcoa’s values—to ensure that we conduct business in a way that respects human rights.
We support the United Nations Global Compact with respect to human rights and the other principles relating to labor, environment, and anti-corruption. The human rights principles provide that:
- Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights; and
- Businesses should make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses.
In the workplace, we respect human rights primarily by providing safe and healthy working conditions and ensuring non-discrimination in personnel practices. In our communities, we respect human rights by contributing our time and talents to the well-being of the communities in which we operate. We influence the standards of conduct in these communities by living our values.
This is a universal approach and not restricted to developed, or developing, economies. Externally, in those instances where we do have direct influence, we extend the requirements and aspirations expressed within our values, principles, and policies to the business dealings of our suppliers and contractors.
Typically, the ability to directly influence occurs where the supplier or contractor is working within, or delivering products or materials directly to, our facilities. This influence can take the form of mandated practices, such as compliance with our environment, health, and safety standards and practices.
We comply with all laws governing our businesses in the communities in which we operate, recognizing that the primary responsibility for human rights lies with the governments of those communities. We also respect all international human rights norms. In addition, we live our corporate values in every community in which we operate, which includes the application of our human rights policy set forth below.
Alcoa’s Human Rights Policy
Children and Young Workers
As a fundamental principle, we do not employ children or support the use of child labor. We do encourage the creation of educational, training or apprenticeship programs tied to formal education for young people.
Freedom of Engagement
We believe that people should work because they want or need to, not because they are forced to do so. We prohibit the use of prison labor, forcibly indentured labor, bonded labor, slavery, or servitude.
Equality of Opportunity
We recognize, respect, and embrace the cultural differences found in the worldwide marketplace. Our workplace is a meritocracy where our goal is to attract, develop, promote, and retain the best people from all cultures and segments of the population, based on ability. We have zero tolerance for discrimination or harassment of any kind.
Compensation
We ensure that compensation meets or exceeds the legal minimums and is competitive with industry standards. Our compensation philosophy is clearly communicated to employees and is in full compliance with all applicable laws.
Freedom of Association
We recognize and respect the freedom of individual Alcoans to join, or refrain from joining, legally authorized associations or organizations.
Relationships with Indigenous People
Within the framework of our Values, we respect the cultures, customs and values of the people in communities where we operate and take into account their needs, concerns, and aspirations.
Within our operations, we strive to maintain high standards in the human rights area while operating in many diverse locations. To achieve this, we apply human rights to everything we do, as the following examples illustrate:
- We have a robust program focused on inclusion, and we hold our senior management accountable for championing and endorsing these initiatives. We also have a diversity goal in our annual cash incentive compensation plan for increasing global female employment and U.S. minority employment in the professional and executive ranks;
- In Juruti, Brazil, we are working with local traditional communities in acquiring basic living needs, such as clean water, health care, and urban and rural infrastructure, that are not only necessary for a higher quality of life but also for the development of small and micro businesses in those communities (see a case study published in the World Resources Report);
- In Guinea, we are working with our project partner to bring water and literacy to communities that may be impacted by a proposed refinery in which Alcoa would have an ownership interest;
- In developing our growth projects, we focus great attention on the needs of communities and the engagement of stakeholders; and
- We are providing jobs and opportunities for people with disabilities throughout the world.
Compliance Measures
Our Human Rights Policy is available on our internal website in 21 languages and dialects. This site is the primary means within the company to find information about Alcoa and its policies.
One of our key challenges in the human rights area is ensuring this policy is integrated throughout our global operations. Ensuring compliance is difficult, but several methods are available to help detect and address any noncompliance.
By publicly posting our policy on alcoa.com, stakeholders worldwide can alert us to potential issues regarding this policy. Our internal systems also support compliance with this policy. For example, we have a robust and mature Ethics & Compliance Line that permits employees and external stakeholders to report alleged violations of law and policy on a confidential basis and in their own language.
Annually, we conduct a Business Conduct and Conflict of Interest Survey that requires certification of compliance with all business conduct (including applicable laws and regulations), anti-corruption, and conflict of interest policies. In the jurisdictions in which we employ a majority of our employees, there are laws applicable to most of the areas dealt with in our Human Rights Policy, including child labor, freedom of engagement, equality of opportunity, and compensation.
We also have a rigorous internal audit system that includes, as part of a site visit, interviews with all key location managers on compliance with local laws. In 2008, we added a specific interview question regarding management compliance with our Human Rights Policy.
Human Rights Training
In 2010, we developed and deployed an online human rights training course for key Alcoa managers. Managers will complete the mandatory course as part of their standard curriculum.
