Responsible recruitment

Responsible recruitment means ensuring fair, ethical and transparent recruitment processes that protect the rights and well-being of job seekers. 

Implementing the Employer Pays Principle

Migrant workers may be subjected to paying exorbitant fees to recruitment agencies or intermediaries in order to secure employment opportunities. This practice can create a financial burden or lead to even more serious issues, including debt bondage and exploitation. 

In order to prevent such situations in our operations and supply chains, Neste strictly prohibits the charging of recruitment fees and related costs as defined by the ILO, irrespective of where or how employees are recruited, and has therefore made a commitment to act in accordance with the Employer Pays Principle, which stipulates that no worker should pay for a job and that the costs of recruitment are paid for by the employer, not the worker.

Our suppliers and contractors are similarly required to ensure that recruitment fees and associated costs are not borne by workers. This is one of the minimum requirements in our Supplier Code of Conduct, which is included in the terms of contract with our suppliers and contractors.

Promoting responsible recruitment along the value chain

Neste takes various actions to drive responsible recruitment in our operations and supply chains, for example:

• Adding no-recruitment-fee clauses to contracts with recruitment agencies and staffing firms used by Neste.

• Validating whether responsible recruitment practices are in place during social audits for high-risk contractors and renewable raw material suppliers, and following up on corrective actions. 

• Providing training and capacity building for Neste suppliers.

• Engaging in multi-stakeholder initiatives to jointly address structural issues for migrant workers in high-risk countries and sectors.