THAI LABOUR STANDARDS
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THAI BUSINESS
TLS 8001-2010
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1. Introduction
The Ministry of Labour had launched the implementation of Thai Labour
Standards : Corporate Social Responsibility of Thai Business (TLS. 8001-2003) since
June 27, 2003. It was guidelines for the establishments to treat voluntarily with the
workers to improve and develop good practices on labour management system, in
compliance with the international labour standards, to upgrade life quality of the
workers, and to strengthen sustainable growth of the business.
At present, running business with responsibility for society, which covers the
issues of human rights, employment conditions, and working conditions, is recognized
all over the world. Where an establishment is not in compliance with such international
standards, it may be a barrier to trade and affect its business and relevant workers as a
whole.
In principle of international practice, revision of a standard shall be taken into
account every five years of implementation, or when the situation changes. This revision
aims that the revised standard be acceptable and be complying with present situation.
Moreover, there were some legislative amendments and releases of new labour laws,
including new obligation of international standards. Hence, the Ministry of Labour and
by the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, in collaboration with employers’
and employees’ organizations, related government and private agencies, and
educational institutions, has revised the provisions of the TLS. 8001-2003 to suit and
comply with the changes and situations, and with the aims :
(1) to be the operational guidelines for the establishments to provide appropriate
protection for the workers by setting related policy for the effective implementation.
(2) to be a criteria for the establishments to audit and to declare themselves that
they are in compliance with this standard.
(3) to be a criteria for certifying the establishments which imply this standard.
The standard of corporate social responsibility of Thai business is written within
the provisional scope of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, provisions of the
labour laws concerning labour protection, occupational safety, health and environment,
labour welfare, and labour relations. Moreover, related conventions of the International
Labour Organization and of the United Nations are also brought into account.
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The contents of the standard’s provisions cover labour codes which are implemented by
other organizations, both inside and outside the country.
2. Scope and Application of the Standard
2.1 The provisions of this Standard cover the issues of labour management and
treatment of the establishments which are under the labour laws, related international
standards, and the principle of social responsibility.
2.2 The provisions of this Standard shall be used for all kinds and all sizes of the
establishments.
3. References
3.1 Labour Protection Act, B.E. 2541 (1998) and its amendments.
3.2 Labour Relations Act, B.E. 2518 (1975) and its amendments.
3.3 International Labour Organization’s Convention Nos. 29, 87, 98, 100, 105, 111,
135, 138, 155, 164, 177 and 182, and include its Recommendation Nos. 146 and 164.
3.4 The ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational
Enterprises and Social Policy, 2000.
3.5 The ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization, 2008.
3.6 The ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the world of work, 2001.
3.7 The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948.
3.8 The United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women, 1979.
3.9 The United Nations Convention on Children’s Rights, 1989.
3.10 The Quality Management Standards (ISO 9001 : 2008)
3.11 The Social Responsibility Standards (ISO 26000)
3.12 The Social Responsibility Standards (SA 8000 : 2008)
4. Definitions
4.1 “Labour Standard” means rules or requirements governing the use of labour
under the scope of labour laws and international standards.
4.2“Establishment” means an organization or a business agency including
management or other relevant personnel which is responsible for an implementation of
the requirements of this Standard.
4.3 “Quality of Life” means good living condition of an employee that builds the
employee’s prosperous physic, emotion and mentality, as well as, peaceful social life.
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4.4 “Labour Laws” means laws governing labour protection; occupational safety,
health and environment; labour welfare; and labour relations.
4.5 “Labour Protection” means the protection on employment condition, working
condition, labour welfare, and occupational safety, health and environment provided for
an employee in an establishment.
4.6 “Occupational Safety, Health and Environment” means a performing or
working condition that frees from any cause of injury, illness or nuisance due to or
related to work.
4.7 “Corporate Social Responsibility” means the principles which represent the
responsibilities of an establishment for any impact of its business on the society.
It consists of the principle on law compliance, principle on the respect for international
practices, principle on recognition of stakeholders and their comments, principle on the
respect for fundamental human rights, principle on the respect for diversity, principle
concerning code of morals, principle concerning transparency, and principle concerning
accountability.
4.8“Management system” means policy, plan, process, procedure and controlling
which comprise personnel and other coherent resources of organizations as the
elements aimed at full implementation of this Standard’s requirements.
4.9“Continuous Improvement” means the process in analyzing, planning for
action, and reviewing in order to become better and updated.
4.10 “Supplier or Sub-contractor” means a person or a juristic person who agrees
to provide products or services or to perform work in whole or in part, as the case may
be, for an entrepreneur in order to be assembled or used in production or service of an
establishment regardless of the number of the sub-contracting.
4.11 “The Use of Forced Labour” means to employ, to set the condition of
employment for, or to assign work for any person without an agreement of such person
regardless of a means taken whether it is a labour discipline, debt deduction, threat,
seizure of identity card or document, or any other means.
5. Requirements
5.1 General Requirements
5.1.1 An establishment shall set the management system in writing to be
implemented, maintained and continuously improved.
5.1.2 An establishment shall set and maintain the document control procedure
i.e. approval, revision, edition, indication, distribution and maintenance.
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5.1.3 An establishment shall set and maintain the record control procedure i.e.
indication, maintenance, prevention, access, validation, and elimination. The record as
prescribed by law shall be set in the form and be managed in the way as provided by the
law.
5.1.4 An establishment shall have specific information for supporting and
following up an implementation of this Standard’s requirements.
5.1.5 An establishment shall make document and record be available for involved
person to ensure an implementation of this Standard’s requirements.
5.2 Management System
5.2.1 Management Commitment
(1) Policy
Top management shall define the policy on social and labour
accountability by a written document and formal declaration. The policy shall express
the intention to:
a. confirm the requirements of this standard, labour laws and other
regulations concerned.
b. continually improve the implementation of these standards
including the revision and adjustment of the policy periodically as necessary.
(2) Review by Management
Top management shall review the results of the application of the
policy with regard to the requirements of this Standards within the period specified, to
allow the policy and its implementation plan to be effectively revised and corrected in
accordance with the intention to conform with the requirements of this standard.
5.2.2 Management representative
The establishment shall appoint at least one management “representative”
to be responsible for supervising the application of the Standard. The “representative”
shall be authorized to make decisions, give assignments and coordinate with employees
to ensure that the requirements of this Standard shall be completely implemented.
5.2.3 Collaboration
(1) The establishment shall appoint a committee comprising of employer and
employee representatives to be responsible for the application of the requirements of
this Standards.
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(2) The establishment shall provide for at least one employee representative
of non-management level selected by employees to coordinate and communicate with
the top management and carry out other activities related to the application to the
requirements of this Standard.
5.2.4 Planning and Implementation
(1) The establishment shall provide for the implementation plan and allocate
sufficient resources to ensure that the requirements of this standard shall be smoothly
implemented, without any obstacle and for effective continuous improvement.
The plan shall specified the procedure of implementation and assignment
with clear description of duties and responsibilities, and shall be comprehensive,
covering all requirements of this Standard.
(2) The establishment shall ensure that the requirements of this standard
are understood by all personnel and implemented at all levels of the organization.
(3) The establishment shall provide periodically training or any other
means of development for employees upon commencing employment to build up t