BETTER People
Human capital & Employee Well-Being
One of the driving forces of AWC is people, and without our people, AWC cannot run our business. Attraction, retention, and talent development play a crucial role in AWC’s success, especially organizational capacity development.
AWC strives to unlock our people’s potential and empower them by fostering a supportive working environment and ensuring their talents are recognized and rewarded. Hearing the voice of our people is vital to AWC. We invest in our talent not only for AWC’s growth but also to produce upstanding citizens that can contribute to society through AWC’s values: holistic and integration thinking, knowledgeable and assertive core values.
We aim to be recognized as one of the best employers in the industry and attract talents from all levels, and champion gender parity.
Employee Value Proposition (EVP)
AWC developed its Employer Value Proposition (EVP) to build a value-based culture for employees who can share their experiences – both unforeseen and inspiring. EVP incorporates A-W-C which stands for Agility, Well-being and Career growth:
Agility
Agility Be resilient and respond quickly to changes in the internal and external environment while remaining focused on AWC’s vision. Adopting an adaptive mindset supports the career growth of employees and moves the company forward delivering superior service quality that surpasses expectations.
Well-being
Well-being To build livelihoods that encourage work-life balance for AWC’s employees supported by a positive work environment focused on health and wellness.
Career Growth
Career Growth AWC is focused on the long-term success of its team. The company welcomes new ideas that contribute to an improved work environment that helps employees achieve their professional goals, and helps them thrive in handling challenging tasks and finding solutions to the most intractable problems.
Our People Cares
As the lockdown affects AWC’s business operations, AWC understands that its employees and their families also bear the brunt of the economic impact. We have no policy to lay off our employees in order to pass this tough time together. During the lockdown from April to June 2020, when our hotels and retails were temporarily closed, we still paid 100% for Skeleton staff on duty and paid 75% to non-work employees. AWC has also utilized AWC Infinite Lifestyle to encourage our people to embrace flexibility and change in the wake of the “New Normal”. It granted employees access to working spaces in AWC hotels and privileges such as complimentary beverages and an internet connection to work seamlessly.
Employee Well-being
AWC places importance in attracting and retaining talented employees, while emphasizing on employee knowledge and capability development. Moreover, AWC strives to improve the quality of life for all employees in order to enhance their capability to support company growth
Health and Well-being Program
AWC endorses quality of life improvement for employees through various projects. AWC has implemented the Thai Labor Standard and other international recognized human rights standards as a guideline to protect and take care of our employees, create work-life balance and cultivate good teamwork attitude. AWC has organized projects to promote good working environment and well-being to enable employees to work happily by focusing on health and mindfulness.
Flexible Working Hours
AWC offers employees with flexible working hours according to the nature of work of working positions as appropriate. The flexible working hours allow employees to meet the need of employees and also allow them to complete their task as required by the Company.
Working-from-home Arrangement
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, AWC has endorsed working-from-home policy and encouraged employee to work hybrid. This arrangement not only promotes safety of our employee, but also supports work flexibility, and embraces the demands of new generation’s way of working. In addition to the announcement of working-from-home policy, AWC also advanced its information technology system to promote seamless working lifestyle.
Paid Parental Leave
AWC provides paid parental leave for both primary and non-primary caregiver. Female employees can take maternity leave for 98 days and AWC pays for 45 days which is equivalent to legal requirement. For male employees, they are allowed to take one day paternity leave.
Employee Support
AWC reinforces the well-being of our employees as a priority. All our business units have implemented various activities to ensure the protection of our employees from diseases and symptoms such as the coronavirus (COVID-19), office syndrome, workplace stress management, and etc. Therefore, AWC provides sport and health programs to our employees with the access to gym and swimming pool at the hotels under AWC, through the AWC Infinite Lifestyle application. Moreover, we continuously engage external experts and partners to provide knowledges by arranging the health & wellness talks by doctors on various topics such as High Cholesterol, Blood Sugar, Hepatitis, etc. These benefits encourage our employees to stay physically and mentally fit for work.
At AWC’s properties, we provide employees the opportunity to recharge, de-stress and take care of themselves. The rooms are available to support a variety of mental health, physical health and personal needs, including:
- Nurse room
- Lactation room
- Prayer room
- Recreation room
Fair Living Wage
To provide fair compensation to employees and support equal treatment according to relevant national laws and international standards, AWC has conducted employees’ wages assessment based on the latest statistic information of average expenditure per household by the National Statistical Office of Thailand (NSO), the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, Anker Living Wage Reference. The compensation shall include three basic expenses which are food, housing, and clothing. The additional expenses include health, transportation, personal care items, childcare, and education, are taken into consideration.
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
Employee health, hygiene, and safety are some of our priorities. We prioritize our people’s health and safety and strive to minimize accidents, work-related injuries, and ill-health as much as possible. We also promote work-life balance and wellness to ensure our people are healthy and happy
During COVID-19 pandemic, the key preventive measures at all properties comply with the Safety and Health Administration (SHA) standards, which include entrance screening, facility management, and people management as follows:
All AWC assets within the hospitality and retail business are certified with Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration: SHA certificate, a collaboration of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Ministry of Public Health to mitigate risk and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
We were the pioneer to implement 100% work-from-home for office-based staff before the lockdown announcement. The “skeleton staff” or key personnel stationed at the assets where the confirmed case was found must be home quarantined for 14 days. Employees with higher risk shall report their symptoms daily. The company also provided COVID-19 insurance for all employees.
AWC has maintained its efficiency by adapting the working method for each business line and function to the New Normal. The company communicates with all employees about COVID-19 information and update, health and safety guidelines, COVID-19 response measures. Our project development is certified for ISO 45001:2018 (Occupational Health and Safety Management). It uses this system to promote and drive safety management for construction projects, which comply with Thai safety-related regulations. A safety officer and other essential criteria required by law have been put as a tendering process requirement
Safety Manual
AWC has established the Safety, Occupational Health, and Working Environment Policy, with the goal of establishing continuous efficient and effective safety, occupational health, and working environment management. The policy is endorsed by CEO, representing the member of the Board of Directors. As such, the company raises awareness among employees and related stakeholders to promote good health and foster a good environment to achieve zero fatality, zero injury, and occupational illness free.
AWC has developed Safety Manual which applies to all employees, contractors, and suppliers that work within AWC’s properties. The objectives of the Safety Manual are to act as a guideline for all related personnel to perform their works in accordance with applicable occupational health and safety rules and regulations, to raise awareness regarding safe working practice and safe working environment, as well as to control, prevent, and minimize loss from work accident. The Safety Manual contains regulation and rule for following areas: general working routines, onsite and office working rule for contractors, working on height, working with electrical and related equipment, handling hazardous substances or chemicals and etc. In addition to the regulation and rules, the Safety Manual also included risk hazard and assessment of accident, internal inspection, respond plan to incident, accident and emergency situation.
Community and social integration
AWC is connected with various local communities, including those in the hospitality business in areas far from the cities. Company emphasis on continuously promoting creative engagement with all stakeholders, including the community through various activities and communication channels where demands, opinions, concerns, and suggestions may be voiced.
AWC is committed to improving the community’s livelihoods and walking the neighborhoods through the transition toward self-sustainability. The company has established Asset World Foundation for Charity (AWFC) to support all activities for our society. Moreover, the company expands Corporate Shared Value and Social Enterprise project -The Gallery, believe in giving back and contributing to the empowerment of local communities, we create opportunities as well as providing tools to bolster economic growth.
CSR Strategy
AWC had developed Corporate Social Responsibility following the company mission of ‘Building a Better Future’ and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The company aims to support and increase quality of life for the communities and to build community’s trust and acceptance. The company aim to provide support to the community wherever the opportunity arises. Being a sustainable organization, AWC considers itself an opportunity provider that offers local recruitment, scholarship, and internship program to the communities.
Community Satisfaction Survey Result
With a strong determination to promote bonding with the community, the company has conducted in-depth interviews with the communities to obtain more specific information.
The result of the community engagement allowed AWC to understand feedbacks and concerns from the community. It also indicates that AWC has positive relationship with neighbors.
Allocating Project Area to be The Center of Community
The Lhong 1919 Riverside Heritage Destination project has allocated a free zone area to be the center of community for people to do activities together. We open the opportunities for entrepreneurs and communities to sell their products. Furthermore, we collaborate with the Asset World Foundation for charity to set up an alms canteen to help people in the surrounding area.
Community Relation Action Plan 2022 - Woeng Nakorn Kasem Area
From January until March 2022, AWC initiated community engagement around the Woeng Nakorn Kasem project by visiting two neighboring communities of the project, namely Khlong Ong Ang Community and Saphan Han Community.
Plans for visiting the Woeng Nakorn Kasem area are as follows:
February:
Design an in-depth interview form and neighborhood questionnaires
March:
- Site visit to conduct a satisfaction survey
- Collect questionnaires and analyze data from the local community
The community satisfaction survey reflects primary community information, and the opinions of people in the community towards the project. Future developments will focus on Education and Youth, Public Health and Disaster Mitigation, Society Empowerment, Environment Management, and Career and Product Development.
Human Rights Policy
AWC assumes the responsibility to respect human rights of all stakeholders as embedded in AWC’s business vision and sustainability strategy. Our human rights policy is guided by the United Declaration of Human Rights, the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, the United Nations Guiding Principles on business and Human Rights, and the United Nations Global Compact.
Scope of Application: Own operation, supply chain, customers and communities
Our responsibility to respect human rights extends beyond people in own operation whether they are our employees, customers and people in communities where our business operates to include anyone who work with our suppliers and with business partners throughout our supply chain.
Human Rights and Labour Rights
AWC proactively champions upholding, at the minimum, the following inherent human rights and labour rights :
- Protect rights to life, liberty and security
- Abolish the use of child labour, all forms of forced or compulsory labour, human trafficking and modern - day slavery in own operation and throughout the supply chain
- Eliminate discrimination in employment or occupation while strongly advance diversity, equity and inclusion, including equal remuneration for work of equal value
- End all forms of violence and harassment at work
- Promote freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining
- Promote safe and healthy working environment
- Ensure decent employment and ethical recruitment with fair wages, benefits and welfare for decent living for employees and their families
- Respect right to privacy
- Respect community rights and human rights of people in communities, in terms of their quality of life, health and safety, and access to land and natural resource while ensure community engagement
Management Approach
Under the responsibility to respect human rights of all stakeholders, we are committed to prevent adverse human rights impact through the robust human rights due diligence process to identify human rights risks in our own operation, supply chain and in communities where we operate. Where risks are identified, we mitigate them through “risk mitigation & remediation plan” which are comprehensively consulted with relevant internal and external stakeholders to ensure the human rights of those affected are guaranteed with fair and transparent process. In addition, AWC places the systematic periodic review of the risk mapping of potential issues to ensure that human rights topic is monitored and managed, aligning to our human rights commitments.
Scope of Human Rights Issues
Context Analysis
- Forced and compulsory labour
- Child labour
- Trafficking and modern - day slavery
- Freedom of association and collective bargaining
- Non – Discrimination at work, concerning recruitment, placement, remuneration, benefits, promotion and termination
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
- Working conditions – working hours, rest time, leave entitlements
- Ethical recruitment
- Violence and all forms of harassment
- Hazardous working conditions
- Sub-standard living conditions
- Lack of access to clean water
- Lack of security and privacy
- Standards of living and quality of life
- Community health and safety
- Community engagement
- Cultural heritage
- Minorities Including Indigenous Peoples
- Resettlement
- Rights to access to land and natural resources
- Right to privacy
- Right to information
- Right to choose
- Right to safety and healthy environment
- Right to be heard
- Right to redress
- Right to consumer education
- Right to satisfaction of basic needs
- Right to non – discrimination practices
Identification of potential and actual human right risks
Data Collection
Own operations:
AWC’s own operation encompasses two business groups: Hospitality, and Retail and Commercial Buildings (covering retail, and wholesale and offices), and covering 100% of 2022 revenue.
Value chain or other activities related to our business:
With 19 hotels owned by AWC, we manage the hotels under the hotel brand standards: Marriott, Melia, Hilton, Intercontinental Hotel, Banyan Tree and Okura Group. Each year, hotels under Marriott, Melia and Hilton brands conducted data collection throughout their value chain (own operation and suppliers) through various methods against the human rights risk register, including self diagnosis, Light stay application and human rights risk mapping from program software such as Verisk Maplecroft to identify potential and actual human rights risks from the hospitality business group.
We also conducted the data collection through desk review, survey, focus group discussion and interviews of AWC’s stakeholders be they AWC employee, business partners - tenants and suppliers, customers and community members. The data collected helps identify potential and actual human rights in AWC own operation and throughout the supply chain. The details are provided in the Human Rights Risks Assessment Summary Report 2022
Prioritizing Human Rights Concerns Through Risk Assessment Criteria
- According to the UNGP, the human rights risk assessment is determined against severity and likelihood (probability) criteria
- A level of severity will be determined based on the scale - how many people could be affected by the adverse impact, scope - how serious would the adverse impacts be for the victim? And remendability - will remedy restore the victim to the same or equivalent position before the harm. Level of severity is not an absolute value, yet it is relative to the other human rights risks and impacts that have been identified (UN Guiding Principle 14).
- A level of likelihood will be determined based on the local environment or/and sector context - the likelihood of a risk occurring is greater in a high-risk operating environment: conflict zone, weak governance (policy, procedure, mechanism, etc.), a mismatch between local practices and international human rights and labor standards, higher risk economic sectors breach of human rights/labor cases, records of previous complaints, and media coverages on human rights (UN Guiding Principle 19).
- In addition, the report analysis will focus on different types of human rights concerns/risks against the company’s existing mitigation & remediation measures and identify areas for improvement of those measures and /or of new development measures
- According to the assessment, three types of human rights risks are identified: inherent (based on the nature of the context when not mitigation measures are in place); residual ( level of risks where mitigation measures & control are in place) and salient (high priority areas which still require mitigation actions and without the mitigation actions the salient human rights issues may result in a higher impact to the company).
SALIENT HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES
Of 30 human rights issues which have been assessed against the risk criteria, the report identifies 5 salient human rights Issues across groups of AWC’s stakeholders (right holders) which the company will take proactive mitigation actions for the year 2023
Mitigation Plans and Remediation actions
From the result, risks can be considered: “inherent risk” of which no mitigation measures have yet been in place and “residual risk” of which mitigation measures are discussed, agreed and implemented to assess “human rights salient issue” as a high level of impacts to which the company needs to further mitigate
Six Salient human right issues are considered the high risks which need to be addressed through the mitigation plan and measures. With the robust monitoring system, there was no human rights concerned cases in 2022
| STAKEHOLDER/ RIGHT HOLDER | SALIENT HUMAN RIGHT RISKS | MITIGATION MEASURES | MONITORING PERIOD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employee | Freedom of association |
|
Quarterly |
| Customers | Right to information about the grievance mechanism |
|
Monthly (especially item 2) |
| Business Partners- Suppliers | Migrant workers (Please note that the employment of migrant workers is considered high risk due to the likelihood of the risks in Thailand where number of migrant workers are high and which robust prevention measures should be in place) |
|
Quarterly |
| Community | Right to safety and healthy environment (during the construction phase) |
|
Monthly |
With the robust monitoring system, there was no human rights concerned cases in 2022-2023. AWC is highly committed to respect human right of all stakeholders and in case of negative human right impacts caused by our operation and the supply chain, to remediate at the earliest opportunity to those directly affected groups. AWC continues to closely monitor human rights risks and impacts that may arise from our business activities in order to ensure timely responses to emerging human rights risks and their potential adverse impacts.