The global framework agreement (GFA), which was signed on 06 July 2016 by Eni, IndustriALL, and its Italian affiliates, FILCTEM-CISL, FEMCA-CISL, and UILTEC-UIL, includes inter alia:
- Alongside other regular standards an explicit reference to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). The new agreement intends that if ‘local and international standards diverge, Eni will seek solutions allowing international based practices to respect local principles.’
- Stronger commitments tackling discrimination, diversity issues and maternity leave. As regards maternity leave Eni commits to the overall application of ILO convention 183/2000, even when local rules are less favorable, which recognizes a minimum fourteen-week maternity leave period for all as well as payment compensation of at least two-thirds of regular remuneration.
- Reference to the company policy protecting whistleblowers.
- Guarantees over the right to unionize and to collective bargaining for all. Eni commits to the positive treatment of unions, to abstain from any anti-union activity, and to remain completely neutral as regards employee union choices (membership, remaining a member or not, renouncing membership).
- ENI’s suppliers are requested to declare their acceptance of international human rights, other international standards as well as specific health and safety rules. They mare also to ensure their subcontractors abide by the same principles. Suppliers will be assessed on these aspects and their progress will be made clear. Serious violations of human rights will lead to the termination of the relationship.
- An agreement that the parties work together to develop a dispute resolution mechanism in cases of violations of the GFA.
- A coordinator position that will be established for implementing the GFA. The coordinator will be nominated by IndustriALL and the three Italian signatory unions.
- A world works council that will meet annually to discuss the implementation of the GFA. The committee will also discuss the group’s financial and economic situation, the company’s health and safety policy, the company’s CSR policy and developments in the country’s industrial relations, etc. It will consist of the representatives of IndustriALL and the Italian unions, five members of the Select Committee of the European Works Council (EWC), and five workers’ representatives from the non-European countries and business units of Eni.