Code of conduct in the pipeline

UCT is in the process of approving a code of conduct for companies contracted to provide certain services to the university to ensure that they apply ethical and legal employment and environmental practices.

This arises out of an independent audit of employment practices of contracted companies that service UCT.

All new contractors with the university will be required to sign this code of conduct, which has been developed as a cornerstone of UCT's business relationships.

The code of conduct has been developed to ensure that business partners of the university abide by certain standards in line with UCT's principles and values as a public institution. This includes ensuring the dignity of employees.

The code of conduct will be regarded as a minimum guiding set of principles for service providers to comply with. UCT is also assisting existing service providers to meet legal requirements and to improvement employment standards.

Among the issues the code of conduct will address are the environment, health and safety, remuneration, hours of work and entitlements, discrimination, freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining.

Service providers are also being asked to participate in an employment standards programme to monitor more detailed aspects of the employment relationship than contained in the code.

The code will also make provision for on-site inspections and for self-evaluation in the tendering process.