2011 Communication on Progress

Participant
Published
  • 03-Nov-2011
Time period
  • November 2010  –  November 2011
Format
  • Stand alone document – Basic COP Template
Differentiation Level
  • This COP qualifies for the Global Compact Active level
Self-assessment
  • Includes a CEO statement of continued support for the UN Global Compact and its ten principles
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Human Rights
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Labour
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Environment
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Anti-Corruption
  • Includes a measurement of outcomes
 
  • Statement of continued support by the Chief Executive Officer
  • Statement of the company's chief executive (CEO or equivalent) expressing continued support for the Global Compact and renewing the company's ongoing commitment to the initiative and its principles.

  • November 1st, 2011

    To our stakeholders:

    Consultoría Colombiana S.A. is in agreement and fully supports all the principles the United Nations Global Compact abides by, and therefore is committed to their fulfillment.

    We are committed to develop our business in accordance with the Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact in the areas of Human Rights, Labor, Environment and Anti -Corruption

    In this annual Communication on Progress, we describe our actions to continually improve the integration of the Global Compact and its principles into our business strategy, culture and daily operations. We also commit to share this information with our stakeholders using our primary channels of communication.

    Sincerely,

    Henry Sánchez Arenas
    Executive President

Human Rights
  • Assessment, policy and goals
  • Description of the relevance of human rights for the company (i.e. human rights risk-assessment). Description of policies, public commitments and company goals on Human Rights.

  • We are in full agreement with all 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

    Our company's Labour Code of Conduct has been approved by Colombia´s Labour Ministry and complies with Global Compact principles on Human Rights as well as with Colombia´s applicable laws. This document includes a Chapter regarding Labor Harrasment and internal solution procedures.

  • Implementation
  • Description of concrete actions to implement Human Rights policies, address Human Rights risks and respond to Human Rights violations.

  • Our company culture includes an Open Door Policy, therefore providing access to all stakeholders to file verbally any grievances they might have.

    We have a suggestion box where employees can file suggestions or grievances.

    We offer equal opportunity employment regarless of Age, Race, Religious Beliefs, Sexual Orientation, Gender or Incapacity.

  • Measurement of outcomes
  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates performance.

  • Suggestion and grievances are taken to our Paritary Committee (composed 50% by employee elected representatives and 50% by employer elected representatives) for solution or follow up of taken actions. Among the employer elected representatives we count three senior Vice Presidents of the company.

Labour
  • Assessment, policy and goals
  • Description of the relevance of labour rights for the company (i.e. labour rights-related risks and opportunities). Description of written policies, public commitments and company goals on labour rights.

  • Our company's Labor Code of Conduct has been approved by Colombia´s Labor Ministry and complies with Colombia´s applicable laws. This document contains all employee's rights and responsibilities as well as how compensation and benefits are applied. This document includes a Chapter regarding Labor Harassment and internal solution procedures. Also, there is one article where it prohibits employees from inhibiting others to join any labor union.

    Our company has been certified by Bureau Veritas Quality International - BVQi under OHSAS 18001:2007 for which we get audited on a yearly basis. Also, we are members of the Colombia´s Safety Council (Consejo Colombiano de Seguridad), and we also get audited on a yearly basis.

    As part of our OHSAS 18001:2007 compliance we make a Labor related risk assessment for each project we perform and therefore determine the safety protection equipment and procedures to be supplied to each employee

  • Implementation
  • Description of concrete actions taken by the company to implement labour policies, address labour risks and respond to labour violations.

  • We have a suggestion box where employees can file suggestions or grievances.

    When an employee joins the organization, he/she has to go through an induction process where we thoroughly explain how the company operates, this includes information about the existence of our Labor Code of Conduct, which is published in many places in our premises, as well as on the intranet. Employees must go through a re-induction process on a regular basis.

    Our company culture includes an Open Door Policy, therefore providing access to all employees to file verbally any grievances they might have.

    We perform a Labor related risk assessment for each project, which allows us to determine the risks and required safety equipment and procedures, we also perform entry and regular basis exams, to determine the employees health status and evolution, with recommendations about healthy living

    We offer equal opportunity employment regardless of Age, Race, Religious Beliefs, Sexual Orientation, Gender or Incapacity. We select people based on résumé credentials, and perform in many cases standardized psychological tests to determine who to hire. Regarding pay, each project has a pay schedule based on the approved offer by our client; people are hired based on these schedules. For those who are permanent employees of the firm, we have a Qualification system that determines the pay band where each person belongs and they get paid accordingly.

  • Measurement of outcomes
  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates performance.

  • Every year, at the stockholders meeting we distribute an Annual Report with information about work related Accidents and Incidents, result of of the annual audit preformed by BVQi and the Colombian Safety Council, information about lawsuits filed by employees, statistical information about health exams performed.

    Senior Management reviews results through the Paritary Committee and the HSEQ Committee which are performed on a regular basis.

    We get external Audits from BVQi (ISO 9001, OHSAS 18001 and ISO 14001), by the Colombian Safety Council and by the External Audit appointed by the stockholders. These Audits review compliance of all internal procedures, as well as compliance with the law.

Environment
  • Assessment, policy and goals
  • Description of the relevance of environmental protection for the company (i.e. environmental risks and opportunities). Description of policies, public commitments and company goals on environmental protection.

  • We are a Consulting Engineering firm, an therefore have a very limited environmental footprint and impact. We've performed a footprint and impact assessments, where we've determined that Paper consumption, Energy Consumption, Water Consumption, Vehicle CO2 Contamination and Garbage Disposal are our main environmental impacts.

    We have a Reduce, Reuse and Recycle policy which we apply to all our impacts.

    Our goals are to progressively reduce impacts based both on culture change and on adoption of environmmentally friendly technologies when applicable.

  • Implementation
  • Description of concrete actions to implement environmental policies, address environmental risks and respond to environmental incidents.

  • We perform periodic training and awareness campaigns. these include waste recycling, water and energy consumption habits, and use of paper.

    We have signed agreements with our corporate suppliers for appropriate recycling of batteries, light bulbs, and vehicle lubricants.

    We have virtually eliminated Logo paper, so we can print reports on both sides, review of blueprints is performed though PDF files or usage of reduced size paper formats.

    We have installed timed valves and low consumption toilets in all sanitary facilities.

    We have converted most of our vehicles to natural gas operation and, in other cases, we've acquired diesel vehicles.

    We have an agreement with a Recycled paper manufacturer to sell them any paper waste we generate.

    We have implemented in our offices garbage disposal cans so people can separate at the source.

  • Measurement of outcomes
  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates environmental performance.

  • Senior Management reviews results through the Paritary Committee and the HSEQ Committee with are performed on a regular basis.

    We get external Audits from BVQi (ISO 9001 and ISO 14001), by the Colombian Safety Council (It includes several Environmental Measurements). These Audits review compliance of all internal procedures, as well as compliance with the law.

Anti-Corruption
  • Assessment, policy and goals
  • Description of the relevance of anti-corruption for the company (i.e. anti-corruption risk-assessment). Description of policies, public commitments and company goals on anti-corruption.

  • In association with Pais Libre (a Non Government Organization), we have performed assessment of our exposition to Extortion and Kidnapping.

    We support the UN Convention Against Corruption and we are determined to report to the corresponding authorities any corruption activity or indication thereof.

  • Implementation
  • Description of concrete actions to implement anti-corruption policies, address anti-corruption risks and respond to incidents.

  • Using the before mentioned assessment with Pais Libre, we performed training courses with our project managers and established protocols for management of crisis situations.

    When possible, we work with Transparency International to prevent bribery and corruption in the tenders where this organization gets involved.

    We have also involved in multiple cases government control entities such as the Contraloría and the Procuraduría. These entities are responsible of assuring on a preventive basis or punishing any irregular activity related to the correct application of law by government contracting entities and officers.

    We report, on a preventive basis, any irregular situations to the Colombian Infrastructure Chamber, so they take, when possible, the necessary actions.

  • Measurement of outcomes
  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates anti-corruption performance.

  • As we mentioned in the implementation section, we have involved in some cases government control entities. A concrete result of this procedure was the cancellation of a tender process by Colombia´s Instituto Nacional de Concesiones.

    Also, as a result of our reports during bidding processes, where we consider there might be a bias in the terms of reference we have reported such situations to the contracting entity and in some cases also to the Colombian Infrastructure Chamber which in time have rendered changes in Request for Proposal documentation, making of these processes more balanced and transparent.