Human Rights & Labour Standards

PSG Konsult is committed to upholding the human rights of workers and to treating them with dignity and respect. The company’s commitment includes adhering to and recognising the critical importance of standards regarding freely chosen employment, child labour, discrimination, harsh or inhumane treatment, minimum wages, working hours, and freedom of association.

In addition to adhering to the above requirements and standards, PSG Konsult does not tolerate retaliation against anyone who reports in good faith through the appropriate channels a suspected violation of any provision of the above statement or any other irregularities.

General Principles

• Respect of human rights
  In the PSG Konsult Group we are committed to:
  • Support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights;
  • Ensure that we are not complicit in human rights abuses;
  • Uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining;
  • Eliminate all forms of forced and compulsory labour;
  • Elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation;
  • Work against all forms of corruption, including extortion and bribery.
• Enhancement of human capital through creation of employment and promotion of employee education and training
  PSG Konsult Group is continuously investing in our workforce - providing our employees with skills training, health and wellness programmes and opportunities to gain experience. In 2009 we spend more than 12 million rands in training and development to enable the company to transition our people in to new skills area.
• No discrimination or disciplinary measures against employees who in good faith report to management or the relevant authorities practices which infringe the law, the guidelines or company policy.
  In the PSG Konsult Group’s personnel policy, all forms of discrimination in respect of disciplinary measures, employment and occupation are addressed.
• No demands for exemptions from ecological or social standards
  PSG Konsult Group is committed in making no demands for exemptions from ecological or social standards and the Group supports a precautionary approach to environmental challenges.
• No improper involvement in local political activities
  The PSG Konsult Group is committed in not engaging in any improper involvement in local political activities.

Employment

• Increasing employment possibilities and standards
  PSG Konsult has established a recruitment bureau and a recruitment policy in order increase employment possibilities and standards.
• Promoting equality of opportunity and equal treatment in employment
  PSG Konsult has submitted an Employment Equity Plan on 11 January 2010 as required by the Department of Labour. The workforce profile for 2010 indicates that we had a 21% growth in staff overall, of which 11% is black (designated employees), 47% female (designated employees). The PSG Konsult Limited EE Committee was elected and approved by EXCO. Employee representatives from all different disciplines in the business have been included.
• Avoiding arbitrary dismissal procedures
  PSG Konsult has a personnel policy which includes a disciplinary code of conduct. In this code all forma arbitrary dismissal procedures are addressed.

Employment / Social Partners

• Worker rights for trade union representatives
  PSG Konsult acknowledges the rights for trade of all workers. Freedom of association is also acknowledged in the organisation's personnel policy.
• Abolition of child forced labour
  No child labour in any form is allowed in the organisation.
• Ban on discrimination
  All staff are aware that there are explicit policies against discrimination in hiring, salary, promotion, training or termination of any employee on the basis of gender, race, age, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or religion.
  The organisation does not tolerate jokes or behaviour in the workplace that insult employees on the basis of gender, race age, ethnicity disability of sexual orientation.
• Promotion of effective collective agreements
  Various committees have been established in PSG Konsult in order to promote effective collective agreements. These committees include a remuneration committee, employment equity committee, human resource committee and a audit committee.
• Duty of information towards workers and their representatives
  PSG Konsult realises that the organisation has a responsibility towards the provision of information to all employees and their representatives. For this reason the organisation has created a intranet where all relevant communication (including the personnel policy) is displayed. All personnel have access to the intranet.
• Employment of local personnel/training measures to improve the level of qualification
  In PSG Konsult's recruitment policy, the employment and training of internal staff is confirmed. All positions are firstly advertised internally on the intranet to give internal staff the opportunity to apply for the position.
  Several internal training programmes are facilitated by PSG Konsult Academy in order to develop in skills of all personnel. These training programmes are focused on all levels of the organisation.

Working Conditions

• No pay, benefits or working conditions which are less favourable than those enjoyed by comparable workers in the host country.
  All salaries are market related and normal increases, based on inflation and performance are instituted every year by the remuneration committee.
• Adequate wages for workers and their families to meet their basic needs.
  Market related salaries are being paid to all employees.
• The highest health and safety standards.
  All PSG Konsult staff is working in offices which comply with health and safety standards as stipulated by the Health and Safety act.

Education and Technology

• Promotion of know-how transfer and training
  PSG Konsult Group is providing training opportunities for all levels of staff in the organisation. Training on life management, retirement planning and care of dependants are also conducted in the organisation.
• Learnership Programmes.
  PSG Konsult offers learnerships in conjunction with PSG Konsult Academy and INSETA for trainee financial planners, short-term brokers and stockbrokers.
  The one year learnership entails an on-the-job training programme whereby the trainee is placed within the office of a successful financial planner, short-term broker or stockbroker who acts as principal. Formal training and assessment is done via PSG Konsult Academy.

Labour Relations

• Freedom of workers to organise and associate.
  As stipulated by the personnel policy, all employees of PSG Konsult have the freedom to organise and associate.
• Right of workers to make complaints without suffering disadvantages.
  The grievance procedure in the PSG Konsult personnel policy makes provision for all employees in the PSG Konsult Group to complain. The policy also makes provision for employees to be assured that they will not suffer any disadvantages as a result of the complaint..