Human Rights Management Framework
Human Rights Management Policy
In 2022, SK bioscience revised its Human Rights Management Declaration to comply with and reflect the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights suggesting human rights protection, labor standards, and international principles. The revision also included the right to health, which is essential in the bio-industry considering the characteristics of our business. The Declaration applies to various stakeholders, including employees, members of domestic and overseas affiliated companies, customers, shareholders/investors, suppliers, and local communities/environment. In addition, we have established the Human Rights Management Implementation Guidelines to specify the practice of human rights management and stipulates the prohibition of discrimination in employment and work. The Human Rights Management Declaration and the Human Rights Management Implementation Guidelines are available on our ESG website.
Human Rights Implementation System
SK bioscience has declared its commitment to human rights management to ensure the dignity and value of all individuals in all business activities. Our employees also adhere to the Declaration of Human Rights as a standard for their behavior and decision-making. The CEO establishes, manages, and supervises plans to promote human rights management, and operates the Human Rights Management Council and a team in charge of human rights management to pursue efficient management system. The Human Rights Management Council reviews and deliberates on matters related to the protection and promotion of human rights of stakeholders, including our employees. Additionally, by conducting annual human rights impact assessments, we evaluate and enhance our level of human rights management.
In 2023, SK bioscience restructured its existing Human Rights Management Council and the human rights management organization to advance human rights management. The Human Rights Management Council oversees human rights risks, with its management members conducting regular meetings to monitor and manage key human rights risks. Furthermore, the Human Rights Management Working Council implements and reviews action items identified through human rights impact assessments and continuously identifies, assesses, and responds to human rights risks.
- Board of Directors
- ESG위원회
- 인권경영협의회, 의장 : CEO
- 인권경영 사무국
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- 실무협의회
- 전략기획실
- 기업문화실
- SHE담당
- 법무특허실
- 운영지원실
Human Rights Training
To promote a culture of respect for human rights, SK bioscience conducts regular sexual harassment prevention training and disability awareness training on our learning platform, mySUNI, every year. These training programs, which have been conducted over the past three years, aim to enhance the human rights sensitivity of our employees and raise their awareness of the importance of respecting human rights. In 2023, 100% of our employees completed both the sexual harassment prevention training and disability awareness training.
2023 Human Rights Training Status
| Category | Completion Rate |
|---|---|
| Sexual Harassment Prevention Training | 100% (1038 completed out of 1038) |
| Disability Awareness Training | 100% (1038 completed out of 1038) |
Human Rights Risk Management
Overview of Human Rights Risk Management
SK bioscience has established a human rights risk management process to prevent negative human rights impacts that may arise from the Company’s management or business activities and ultimately contribute to the realization of human rights. In accordance with international human rights norms(the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, etc.) and the EU standards for Human Rights Due Diligence, we conduct a Human Rights Impact Assessment to identify human rights related risks and impact. Also, we plan to gradually expand the scope of the assessment not only for all employees but also for suppliers, local communities, and consumers. Through the human rights risk management, we will proactively identify and address human rights risks to prevent violations and improve the protection of human rights based on the assessment results.
Human Rights Impact Assessment Process
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- 1. 대상 선정
- 임직원
- 협력사
- 지역사회(판교, 안동)
- 소비자/시민
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- 2. 인권 리스크 평가
- 체크리스트 진단
- 설문조사, FGI, 현장점검
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- 3. 주요 인권 리스크 식별
- 인권 리스크 영향도 식별
- 실재적/잠재적 인권 리스크 우선순위화
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- 4. 인권 리스크 개선계획 수립
- 완화 및 예방 계획 수립
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- 5. 모니터링 및 소통
- 인권 리스크 개선계획 이행 및 점검
- 고충처리절차 효과성 평가
Methods of Human Rights Risk Management
Checklist
Diagnosing the level of human rights policy/system by stakeholders
Survey
Surveying stakeholder group perceptions of human rights risks
Focus Group Interview(FGI)
Surveying stakeholders’ respective perceptions of human rights risks
On-site Inspections
Investigating the working and living environments of stakeholders
Human Rights Impact Assessment
Implementation of Employee Human Rights Impact Assessment
To systematically review the Company's policies, procedures, and system regarding human rights issues and effectively manage risks, SK bioscience conducted a company-wide human rights impact assessment for all employees in 2023. Collaborating with a third-party organization, we ensured objectivity in risk determination and identified actual and potential human rights risks through the human rights impact assessment process. We measured the extent of risk to vulnerable groups and evaluated their priority. Following this, we identified major human rights risks that could impact employees, categorized them by topics, and systematically defined and prioritized each risk.
| Human Rights Areas | Risks Definition |
|---|---|
| Equal Treatment and Opportunity | Establishing a corporate culture and effective response procedures to prevent workplace deterioration due to increased employee diversity and changing socio-cultural values |
| Labor Conditions | Improving the working environment for vulnerable groups to foster a corporate culture based on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) |
| Enhancing internal systems to proactively ensure workers' freedom of association and rights, actively listening to and communicating with employees | |
| Identifying, eliminating, and managing hazardous risks in the workplace to ensure employee safety and health | |
| Improving working environment efficiency by supplementing the working hours management system and policies | |
| Grievance Handling | Improving the accessibility, anonymity, and transparency of internal grievance channels to alleviate usage inconvenience & fostering a healthy organizational culture |
Implementation of Follow-up Improvement Tasks
Based on 2023 of Human Rights Impact Assessment, SK bioscience draws short- and mid-to long-term follow-up improvement tasks and implements detailed plans. As a supplement task to the system carried out at the level of SK discovery, we have strengthened the prohibition of workplace harassment/sexual harassment and zero tolerance principles. Also we have introduced and operated additional channels for receiving human rights grievance to enhance accessibility and anonymity of members to the channels. We are also working to collect opinions from members more systematically by supplementing the operation procedure of the Human Rights Management Council.
Also, SK bioscience complemented our human rights policy as part of Human Rights Impact Assessment’s follow-up actions to strengthen human rights due diligence system. We established a monitoring plan and action plan to address the issues identified in the Human Rights Impact Assessment. Additionally, we report the results of Human Rights Impact Assessment to the ESG committee every year and report to the management on a quarterly basis regarding implementation status of human rights risks improvement tasks.
Mid- to Long-term Goals
SK bioscience conducts a Human Rights Impact Assessment in 2024 for resident business partners and local community(Andong). Starting in 2025, we plan to gradually expand the scope of the human rights impact assessment to include major business partners, the local community(Songdo), and consumers, aiming to encompass key stakeholders and vulnerable groups within our value chain by 2028. Additionally, we will monitor the implementation of the mid- to long-term improvement tasks identified in the 2023 human rights impact assessment throughout 2024 and 2025. From 2024 onward, we will continuously manage newly identified improvement tasks.
- 2023년 : 본사, L house
- 2024년~2028년 : 협력사
- 2024~2026년 : 지역사회
- 2026~2028년 : 소비자
Human Rights Violation Grievance Channels
SK bioscience operates reporting channels to identify and resolve human rights violations occurring both inside and outside the Company. The online reporting channel categorizes issues such as verbal abuse, physical violence, sexual harassment, exclusion from work, and personal errands among employees under "lack of respect for employee dignity" and treats them as violations of ethical norms. Moreover, guidelines for addressing workplace bullying and sexual harassment are available on our company website, and we have established a grievance process to protect victims.
The results of the annual investigation are reported to the Board of Directors. The insights derived from these issues are then incorporated into internal regulations or guidelines and shared with employees through the Ethical Management Practice Letter to raise awareness and vigilance. Also we diligently track the number and causes of grievance reports and make efforts to resolve them, as well as protect the identity of the informant to ensure they do not face any disadvantages for reporting.
Grievance Handling Process (In-house)
- 고충 접수
- 제보 검토
- 조사 착수
- 결과 보고
- 후속 조치
Human Rights Violation Report Channel
| Website | https://ethics.sk.co.kr |
|---|---|
| skbioscience.ethics@sk.com | |
| Telephone | 02-2008-2338 |
In early 2024, SK bioscience established an external human rights grievance handling channel, allowing employees to report workplace bullying and sexual harassment issues to external experts. This initiative aims to enhance the anonymity, accessibility, and independence of the grievance handling system for employees and to actively practice human rights management.
Grievance Handling Process (External)
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- 제보 접수
- - 실명/익명 신고
3~5일
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- 전문가 배정/상담
- 법무법인 지평 소속 전문가
- 신고 내용 확인 및 기초조사
- 1차 상담 후 법적쟁점 검토
즉시
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- 조사
- 유관 부서 조사
- 단, 필요 시 외부 전문가 조사*
~60일
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- 처리결과 안내
- 회사에 조사결과 전달
Procedures for Addressing Workplace Bullying and Sexual Harassment
Since the establishment of procedures for addressing workplace bullying and sexual harassment in 2022, SK bioscience has actively maintained and refined these protocols to foster a positive working environment. Upon the occurrence of workplace bullying, we implement procedures grounded in the principles of 'Empathy,' 'Confidentiality and Non-Retaliation,' 'Fair and Swift Care,' and 'Recovery and Recurrence Prevention.' Furthermore, in 2023, we enforced a zero-tolerance policy, treating workplace bullying and sexual harassment as severe violations of human rights, leading to stringent disciplinary actions against offenders. This policy rigorously safeguards the human rights of our employees.