Uninor recognised for best working place by labour rights NGO

NEW DELHI:International NGO Social Accountability (SAI) has conferred Indian telecom operator Uninor SA8000 certification for complying workplace standards based on International Labour Organisation and UN conventions.

"The SA8000 is the world's first auditable social certification standard for decent workplaces. After an 8-month long process, that included an audit of Uninor's compliance to labour laws, ability of its employees to form unions...Uninor has been certified to have the highest standards of work ethics in its organisation," Uninor said in a statement.

Companies seeking to comply with SA8000 have to adopt policies and procedures that protect human rights of workers which includes compliance to global standards on no child labor, forced and compulsory labor, health, safety, right to collective bargaining, no discrimination, disciplinary practices, working hours and remunerations, etc.

"The pursuit of business and competitive success must not overlook an organisations first and prime commitment - that of providing a positive and productive work environment to its employees," Uninor Chief HR officer Sumit Sharma said.

As a result of this accreditation, Uninor will be able to further improve its assessment with financial analysts and investors, enhance its reputation in the labour market and be able to better engage with domestic and international organisations and NGOs, it said.

Uninor said that it has become first mobile operator in the world to get this certificate.