Employees
Commitment & aspiration
Human rights
We respect the human rights of our employees and have enshrined this in our corporate culture by means of various instruments. Beyond this commitment, we aim to prevent the violation of human rights at MTU.
Respecting the individuality and dignity of each and every person, maintaining equality of opportunity and preventing discrimination—respecting our employees’ human rights is essential to MTU.
MTU respects the internationally proclaimed human rights set out in the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights and enforces and protects these rights within its sphere of influence. Our Code of Conduct stresses that respect for human rights is an essential part of MTU’s corporate social responsibility. We also respect and support the fundamental principles of the International Labour Organization (Core labor standards of the International Labour Organization [ILO]) and are a signatory to the UN Global Compact, Principle 6 of which aims to uphold human rights.
We view the respecting of human rights principles as a Group-wide issue that involves many different areas, including social labor standards/law for employees, sustainable supplier management and trade compliance standards for responsible international trade.
More about human rights in the supply chain at Procurement practices
More about responsible international trade under compliance at Corporate governance
We are conscious of our responsibility as a company with global operations, and aim to carry out our due diligence with regard to human rights. In particular, we pursue the goal of preventing human rights violations that could affect employees (zero-tolerance principle).
Code of Conduct for employees
MTU sees it as its duty to respect the individuality and dignity of each and every person, maintain equality of opportunity in the workplace and prevent discrimination. The protection of human rights, the right to appropriate remuneration, as well as recognition of regulations governing employee and union representation under labor and works constitution law, are implemented Group-wide through the Code of Conduct. As an employer, we offer fair working conditions based on legally binding employment contracts with appropriate remuneration. This includes the right to unionize and to adopt collective agreements. Our zero-tolerance approach to violations is also a fundamental component of our Code of Conduct.
Compliance with the Code of Conduct and ethical principles is enshrined in the MTU Principles. In addition, MTU is bound by legal obligations that may differ from location to location; in Germany, for example, MTU must honor the General Act on Equal Treatment (AGG). Also in Germany, we have worked with employee representatives to enact internal guidelines on fair and cooperative conduct that are designed to prevent bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination. They also stipulate a systematic process for handling complaints.
When they join the company, new employees are informed about the regulations laid down in the Code of Conduct and—in Germany—in the General Act on Equal Treatment (AGG), and they undertake to comply with these requirements. In addition, we provide regular training on the Code of Conduct for all employees at all the company’s sites and hierarchical levels. A new e-learning course on the Code of Conduct as revised in 2020 has been launched. By the end of 2021, almost 4,000 employees had taken part, → More about MTU’s Code of Conduct and associated training under Compliance
Reporting channels are open to all
Established reporting procedures are in place to ensure that we can systematically follow up on all complaints or reports of human rights infringements. Employees and external stakeholders can make reports to the Compliance Officer as a confidential contact point in the Group, or anonymously via the web-based iTrust reporting system, available in multiple languages. This applies to all human rights concerns. → See Compliance for information about handling reports
Additional points of contact for employees have been set up at each location, about which we provide information on-site. For example, in compliance with legal regulations such as the AGG in Germany, trained personnel at each site are identified as the contact points for complaints regarding discrimination. For cases of sexual harassment, female employees can go to a female contact person. At MTU Maintenance Canada, employees can file a formal complaint with human resources management in cases of discrimination. They also have the right to go beyond the company and make a formal complaint to the BC Human Rights Tribunal. At MTU Aero Engines Polska, this function is carried out by a person elected by the employees. Employees can also report grievances to managers, the works council or the head of human resources. The Executive Board is informed about infringements depending on the severity of their impact. In cases of substantiated complaints, we take appropriate action to find a solution. → More information about the collaboration between management and the works council in the chapter Collaboration and leadership
Zero discrimination: We are pleased to report that we had no incidents or substantiated complaints regarding discrimination against employees. We see this as a sign of good collaboration at MTU.
No site had a case of discrimination or received a substantiated complaint in 2021 as defined by the respective anti-discrimination legislation in effect there. Furthermore, there were no substantial violations within the MTU Group of the principles underpinning the Code of Conduct.
Risk of human rights violations
We have identified no MTU business location that we must consider at significant risk of child, forced or compulsory labor, or at which the freedom of association and right to collective bargaining could be compromised. MTU considers the risk of human rights violations among its employees to be low at all its locations, as it is bound by the relevant national legislation that protects human rights and can play a direct role in upholding them. Employees are hired and developed solely on the basis of expertise, skills and experience. For these reasons, all national as well as international decisions are also examined to determine whether they meet our standards and guidelines. More information about managing sustainability-related risks
By protecting human rights, we can help achieve the following Sustainable Development Goals:
→ Learn more about our contribution to the SDGs of the UN’s 2030 Agenda
