Freedom of Association evaluates how a company respects and facilitates workers’ rights to form, join and collectively bargain through trade unions or other representative bodies - without interference, discrimination or retaliation - across its own operations and supply chain. It covers:

• policy commitment & governance - an explicit, board-approved policy aligned with ILO Convention 87 (Freedom of Association) and ILO 98 (Right to Organise & Collective Bargaining), embedded within supplier codes and management systems;
• non-interference & neutrality - safeguards that prohibit anti-union discrimination, captive-audience meetings,

  yellow (company-dominated) unions or intimidation during organising drives or collective-bargaining negotiations;

• worker representation & social dialogue - recognition procedures, workplace ballots, elected worker committees, and access for unions to meet employees on-site or virtually;
• collective-bargaining coverage & outcomes - transparent data on the share of workers under collective agreements, key provisions (wages, hours, health & safety) and processes for renewing or expanding agreements;
• supply-chain due diligence - risk assessments, audits, worker-interview protocols and remediation pathways that address violations in outsourced manufacturing, agriculture, logistics or service contractors;
• grievance & remedy - confidential channels, anti-retaliation protections, escalation to independent mediation or labour authorities, and restitution where rights have been breached;
• monitoring & disclosure - KPIs on organising requests, incidents, corrective-action closures and collective-agreement coverage, reported in line with frameworks such as GRI 407, SA8000, OECD Due-Diligence Guidance and emerging EU CSDDD/ESRS S1 requirements.