Sexual harassment policies of select companies research paper example

L’ORÉAL Policies on Sexual Harassment
L’OREAL has explicitly presented its code of ethics in a 36 page document (L’OREAL, 2007). It specifically pronounces its values as respect for the individuals, for the law and the local customs. It strives to practice ethics in three dimensions i. e. as a business, as an employer and as responsible corporate citizen. As an employer, it addresses the issue of sexual harassment in the following manner. The code of ethics of L’OREAL states that any form of sexual harassment is not acceptable, and it asks everybody associated with the company to abstain from sexual harassment. The company solicits support from all employees for creating sexual harassment free workplace.

Revlon’s Policies on Sexual Harassment

Revlon’s’ Code of Business Conduct (2013) is based on few basic principles that everyone in the company must follow. They are every activity must reflect the highest ethical standards and commitment to integrity, protection and preservation of Revlon’s asset, reporting honest and accurate information to all stakeholders, and compliance to laws. All day to day behaviors is expected to be a reflection of these values.
Under the section labor and employment laws Revlon’s states its policy on sexual harassment. Revlon’s is committed to the protection of the right of the employees to work in an environment that is free from sexual harassment. In the code of business conduct, Sexual harassment is defined as any unwelcome sexual advances, sexual requests, and verbal, physical or visual reference to sex. Any behaviors that are of a sexual nature, which interferes with an employee’s work performance or which create an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment is also considered as sexual harassment. There is a procedure to report and handle the harassment cases within the company. Company has a policy to investigate allegations of sexual harassment in a confidential manner. In the evidence of harassment, the company commits to take corrective and disciplinary action against the perpetrator.

Estee Lauder’s Policies on Sexual Harassment

The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. asserts that it is committed to the highest standards of professional and personal conduct (2013). Compliance with the Code is a pre-condition of employment for all employees and officers.

The company has written policies on sexual harassment. The main features of sexual harassment policies in Estee Lauder are,

– sexual harassment is a type of discrimination,
– Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and verbal or physical reference to sex. The behaviours such as unwelcome sexual flirtations, inappropriate touching of an individual’s body, comments about an employee’s body or appearance, sexually degrading words used in conversation, and using computers to display or distribute porn images, messages or pictures are also sexual harassments.

There are procedures to handle complaints on sexual harassment.

Shiseido Group’s Policies on Sexual Harassment
Shiseido Group’s web site provides a peep into its ethical practices. The website provides the values practiced by Sheseido in a terse form. The values they practice are titled as “ Our Way”. The company seems to have no explicit policy on sexual harassment. But they have certain policies towards employees, in which they refer generally to workplace safety and employee comforts. We have to assume that they discourage all harassments including sexual. Their explicit policies on employees are, the company strives for a safe, healthy work environment and enhance employees’ comfort and a sense of fulfillment. The company wants the work environment to be safe, clean and healthy, and promote physical and mental health.

REFERENCES

L’OREAL (2014) Code of Ethics, Retrieved May 2014 http://www. loreal. com/_en/_ww/html/company/pdf/code_of_ethics_us. pdf
Shiseidogroup. com (2014) Retrieved May 2014 http://www. shiseidogroup. com/company/principle/way. html
Revlon (2013) Code of Business Conduct, Retrieved May 2014
http://phx. corporate-ir. net/phoenix. zhtml? c= 81595&p= irol-govConduct
Estee Lauder Companies (2014) Code of Conduct, Retrieved May 2014 http://www. elcompanies. com/PdfLibrary/2012%20ELC%20CR%20Report%20-%20The%20Beauty%20of%20Responsibility. pdf