Key Policies
PotashCorp will always respect the labor laws of each country in which it operates. It has adopted key policy commitments regarding its labor practices.
Labor-Management Relations: Consistent with its commitment in its Code to respect the rights of the individual, the company acknowledges and respects workers' rights to enter into collective bargaining relationships.
Workplace Health and Safety: The Code states that PotashCorp is committed to a healthy and safe work environment for all employees and contractors. Its goal is no harm to people and no accidents.
Training and Education: As noted in the Employee Handbook, PotashCorp will provide training to help employees reach their potential in their current jobs or to prepare them for identified higher-level assignments. All employees will be given an equal opportunity to participate in training and education programs supported by the company. Tuition may be reimbursed for employees who pursue academic studies in addition to performing their normal work.
Equal Opportunity: PotashCorp provides equal opportunity in employment, promotions, wages, benefits, and terms and conditions of employment. This is identified in the employee handbooks used at its corporate offices in Canada and the United States, which differ in wording as they reflect different national emphases. The Employee Handbook-Saskatoon states that PotashCorp believes all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunity provided they meet job qualifications. It does not discriminate against its employees or applicants for employment because of age, race or perceived race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, place of origin, sex, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, receipt of public assistance or physical size and weight. The Employee Handbook-Northbrook states that, committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity, PotashCorp recruits, hires, trains, assigns, promotes, transfers, places, demotes, lays off, recalls, terminates, grants leaves of absence and administers all compensation and benefits programs without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristics as defined by law.
Management Responsibility
The Senior Vice President, Administration has operational responsibility for company-wide employment, benefits and compensation program design and administration, labor-management relations and corporate training and development.
The Vice President, Safety, Health and Environment has responsibility for the company's occupational health and safety system. The COO heads a Senior Safety Leadership Team of seven senior managers, which provides leadership in fostering a culture that reduces exposure to and strives to eliminate risk in the workplace.
Management Systems
PotashCorp uses a variety of management processes to ensure that its employment and workplace safety commitments are implemented effectively.
Occupational Health and Safety
The management approach to occupational health and safety includes:
- Management-worker committees to address health and safety concerns
- Annual training on process hazards, health and safety, emergency procedures and safe work practices
- Hazard control strategies to give priority to control at or near the source through elimination, substitution, isolation and/or effective local ventilation
- Health and safety (including ergonomic considerations) criteria for selecting materials, tools and equipment for purchase
- Completion of accident investigations and corrective actions as soon as possible and, in all cases, within one year
- Periodic health and safety audits to validate the effectiveness of the company's health and safety initiatives. These include annual Key Procedure Audits at each site, an Organizational Culture Diagnostic Instrument at each location every two years, an annual Behavioral Accident Prevention Process (BAPP®) sustainability review at each site and a yearly general health and safety audit at all Canadian operations.
Accident Prevention
PotashCorp uses a disciplined safety system that is based on best practices and the BAPP®.
The company ensures that all employees and contractors are well-informed, well-trained, engaged and committed to its safety and health improvement processes.
A Senior Safety Leadership Team is building awareness among employees and contractors of the importance of reducing risky behaviors that cause accidents.
Each facility prepares an annual Safety Action Plan to address measurable performance in behavior-based safety, key procedures, contractor safety process safety management and organizational culture.