GFG Alliance makes major step forward in European industrial relations

Media release > 12th November, 2021
  • European Works Council Agreement covers 18,000 GFG Alliance employees in ten European countries, including the UK and North Macedonia.
  • Central pillar of GFG‘s strategic commitment to embrace positive social dialogue

Sanjeev Gupta, Executive Chairman of GFG Alliance and Denise Timns, GFG‘s Chief HR Officer, have signed the GFG Alliance European Works Council Agreement, which has been negotiated with the Special Negotiation Body of employee representatives from across Europe. The Agreement is a huge step forward in GFG Alliance’s Industrial Relations and will be a central pillar of its strategic commitment to embrace positive social dialogue on a European level.

The creation of a European Works Council (EWC), which is a formal consultative and information body, will help GFG continue to build a positive social dialogue between its management teams and trade unions across Europe. The new EWC Council, which will meet twice a year, will be made up of members who represent more than 18,000 GFG Alliance employees in ten European countries, including the UK and North Macedonia. The EWC will give GFG the best possible opportunity to achieve its business goals based on mutual trust, respect and mutual gain and is aligned with GFG‘s social dialogue policies.

The Agreement has been developed, facilitated by Industrial Europe, to be in line with the European Directive 2009/38/EC of the European Parliament and its transposition into Czech Labour Code nb 262/2006 CL. It is also in the spirit of the European Commission’s Community Charter of the Fundamental Rights of Workers. It will be available in eight languages (Czech, Dutch, English, French, Italian, North Macedonian, Polish and Romanian) to ensure it is accessible to employees across all of GFG’s European businesses.

Denise Timns, Chief HR Officer of GFG Alliance, said: “I would like to thank all of those on the Special Negotiation Body and at Industriall Europe who have worked so closely with us to bring this important Agreement to life. I look forward to meeting with the EWC to inform and consult with them in a collaborative way about pan-European issues which might impact our businesses and our employees. I’m looking forward to us all benefiting from the Council’s commitment and collective wisdom as we transform the group into a carbon neutral producer of GREENSTEEL and GREENALUMINIUM.”

Further information from:

Andrew Mitchell
Head of Communications – UK
GFG Alliance  
+44 7516 029522andrew.mitchell@gfgalliance.com
Patrick Toyne-Sewell Head of Communications – Europe  +44 7767 498195patrick.toyne-sewell@gfgalliance.com

Note to the editors:

GFG Alliance is a collection of global businesses and investments owned by Sanjeev Gupta and his family. The Alliance is structured into three core industrial pillars; LIBERTY Steel Group, ALVANCE Aluminium Group and SIMEC Energy Group, independent of each other yet united through shared values and a purpose to create a sustainable future for industry and society. GFG Alliance employs 35,000 people, across 10 countries and has revenues of USD $20bn. GFG Alliance is a leader in sustainable industry with a mission to become Carbon Neutral by 2030 (CN30).   www.gfgalliance.com

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