(Step 1 OECD Guidelines | UNGP 16)
Human rights in own operations
The Jerónimo Martins Group respects human and workers’ rights, following the guidelines of the United Nations and the International Labour Organization, within the framework of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Fundamental Conventions of the International Labour Organization and other applicable conventions, in addition to the local laws of the countries in which it operates.
Our action is guided by principles such as respect for the law and human rights, honesty, integrity, transparency, diversity and inclusion, corporate social responsibility and independence from political parties. We prevent discrimination in all its forms, with professional development and recognition based on merit and fairness, qualifications and equal opportunities. We promote a safe and healthy workplace, with zero tolerance for any type of harassment. We also promote respect for the privacy of employees, working hours and the right to rest, valuing a balanced organisation of time, and seek to follow best practices in health and safety at work for our approximately 140,000 employees. We also ensure freedom of association and collective bargaining1. For more information on this point, see “Freedom of association and collective bargaining”.
We seek to prevent the risks of forced and child labour, in particular through mechanisms that prevent the hiring of persons under the legally permitted employment age and have implemented measures to ensure respect for the rights of indigenous peoples.
The aforementioned human rights topics are integrated into our Code of Conduct, which addresses the principles that guide our relationships with all stakeholders and are implemented in all of the Group’s HR management policies, most notably Labour Fundamentals Guidelines, a description of which can be found in “Our social-related policies”.
Human and labour rights in the supply chain
With regard to the supply chain, in addition to the rules set out in the Jerónimo Martins Code of Conduct, three guiding documents are of note: the Code of Conduct for Suppliers, the Sustainable Sourcing Policy and the Anti-Corruption Policy, all available in our corporate website. Suppliers are selected based on criteria of quality, innovation, price, supply capacity, performance, trust, continuity and sustainability over time.
In relation to the Sustainable Sourcing Policy, the Group reserves the right to immediately and unilaterally cease business relations with suppliers whenever it becomes aware that these and/or their suppliers are engaged in the violation of human, children’s and/or workers’ rights and/or do not incorporate ethical and environmental concerns in their activities.
In global sourcing processes (purchase of products that serve Companies located in more than one country) supplier selection criteria include accepting the Sustainable Sourcing Policy, the Code of Conduct for Suppliers and the Anti-Corruption Policy, declaring that no forced and child labour is used in their operations, and guaranteeing that working hours are in line with the law and the rest days established therein. Other criteria include fair pay, promoting a safe work environment, providing, for example, fire-fighting and personal protective equipment, emergency exits and medical care for all employees, and openness, in the event of selection, to being subject to social audits and training in this regard.
Preventing and fighting corruption
We are committed to fighting all forms of corruption, whether directly or indirectly associated with the various links in our value chain, demanding transparency and integrity in relationships between different stakeholders, and implementing an integrity due diligence procedure to identify corruption risks posed by third parties in the value chain. In our Anti-Corruption Policy, which is an integral part of the Code of Conduct, we established the principle of zero tolerance for any behaviour involving corruption, influence peddling, receiving or offering undue advantages, or paying or receiving any benefits contrary to the laws in force in each country and Jerónimo Martins’s Code of Conduct.
Jerónimo Martins is a member of the United Nations Global Compact, which, per its ten principles, protects human and workers’ rights and establishes, in its Principle 10, that “businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery”. Jeronimo Martins Polska joined the Global Compact’s Polish network in 2024, embodying yet another step forward in this commitment. We report progress made on these principles annually.
Fighting against corruption and bribery is also one of the Sustainable Development Goals (Goal 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), and one of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. It is also included in the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct.
The Group has a Plan for the Prevention of Corruption Risks and Related Infractions (PPRC) in place, following the approval in Portugal of the General Framework for the Prevention of Corruption approved by Decree-Law No. 109-E/2021 of 9 December 2021, which identifies and classifies the Company’s main and potential corruption risks, considering the likelihood and impact of the risks identified. This plan also lists the prevention and mitigation measures for these types of risks. The annual report on PPRC implementation was published in 2024, which is available in our corporate website.
Taxation and fair competition
Concerning taxation, the Holding’s Fiscal Affairs Department, which works together with the Tax Departments of Jeronimo Martins Polska and Jeronimo Martins Colombia, advises all of the Group’s Companies, ensuring compliance with the laws in force and the optimisation of the business units’ management actions regarding tax. It also manages tax disputes and the Group’s relationship with external consultants and lawyers, as well as with the tax authorities.
1 Only in Portugal (around 24.9% of the Group’s total workforce), since in Poland and Colombia there are no collective regulation instruments applicable to the Group’s Companies.