Human Rights

Linde is a leading global industrial gases and engineering company and is a major technological innovator in the industrial gases industry with approximately 65,000 employees globally.  Linde serves a diverse group of industries across more than 80 countries worldwide, including healthcare, chemicals and energy, manufacturing, metals and mining, food and beverage, and electronics.  Linde delivers innovative and sustainable solutions to customers and creates long-term value for its stakeholders. The company achieves its mission of making our world more productive by providing products, technologies and services that help customers improve their economic and environmental performance in a connected world.

Linde’s business model is to transform air and process gases into applications that, in many cases, help customers become more efficient or provide social benefits. The company values and relies upon the people who contribute to its products and services and who benefit from these applications. Although the company operates in many countries, the nature of Linde’s business is substantially local, and the company recognizes the importance of respecting and promoting human rights and labor standards. 

Linde strives to prevent adverse human rights impacts that have a direct link to the company’s operations, products or services. Linde’s commitment to human rights is manifested in this and various other company policies and statements, including the company’s Code of Business Integrity, Supplier Code of Conduct, Global Diversity and Inclusion Guidelines, and Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Policy.

Linde is committed to the recognition and safeguarding of human rights in all the countries in which it operates. Linde complies with all applicable national laws and international treaties concerning human rights, social rights, and labor rights, consistent with the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Labour Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. The company respects the sovereignty of nations throughout the world and affirms their primary responsibility to protect their citizens' human rights.

Linde has a Code of Business Integrity (CBI). This Policy is a supplement to Linde's CBI and is not intended to replace local legal guidance or applicable laws or regulations. Linde seeks to do business with various stakeholders - customers, suppliers and contractors, who share the same commitment to human rights that Linde has. All employees are responsible for compliance with this policy, which is publicly available on the Linde website and communicated internally and externally to all employees, stakeholders and other relevant parties. Our management will encourage employees to understand the policy and applicable laws related to it. Linde takes these standards very seriously. Non-compliance, depending upon the circumstances and local applicable laws or regulations, may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. 

Fair Compensation and Equal Remuneration

Linde will pay employees at least the minimum wages and overtime rates required by law and collective bargaining agreements and, if no such laws or agreements apply, wages in line with marketplace practices. Linde compensates employees based on merit and ability, as noted in the Code of Business Integrity.  Linde also compensates its global employees based on its pay philosophy that requires compensation to be, among other things, fair, transparent, and cost effective, and to drive a performance and results-oriented culture.    

Work

All people have the right to be considered for appropriate work, and Linde will comply with applicable labor and employment laws and rules, including but not limited to those governing hours of work and relevant industry practice. Linde provides appropriate access to a safe and hygienic work environment, including safe water, sanitation and hygiene for all employees and contractors on premises under Linde's control. Housing or other accommodation, where provided to workers, is clean and safe.  

Prevention of Discrimination and Harassment

Linde prohibits discrimination or harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, pregnancy or sexual orientation, or any other reason prohibited by applicable law. Linde proactively trains employees on harassment prevention and unconscious bias and actively promotes an inclusive and respectful work environment. Linde’s definition of discrimination is consistent with ILO Convention No. 111 on Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Article 1 (1) (a): any distinction, exclusion or preference made on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin, which has the effect of nullifying or impairing equality of opportunity or treatment in employment or occupation.    

Safety

Linde is driven to ensure that no harm comes from the company’s actions to people, the environment or the communities in which we operate.

Linde believes that all incidents and injuries are preventable. All employees and onsite contractors are required to comply with Linde’s Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Policy.

Freedom of Association 

Linde recognizes the freedom of association rights of the company’s employees and the freedom of peaceful assembly, including the freedom to choose whether to engage in collective bargaining and employees’ participation in works agreements in various countries. Linde collaborates with labor organizations in accordance with applicable local laws, regulations, and traditions.  

Prohibition of Child or Forced Labor

Linde opposes the use of all forms of child, compulsory or forced labor at our operations and expects our customers and suppliers to demonstrate similar intolerance for such practices. “Forced” labor includes labor as defined by the ILO Convention 29 on Forced Labour and ILO Convention 105 on Abolition of Forced Labour and includes labor exacted by an employer through the use of coercion, including withholding food or land or wages, physical violence or sexual abuse, restricting peoples' movements or locking them up, and debt bondage. The term "child" is consistent with the ILO Convention 138 on Minimum Age and refers to any person employed under the age of 15 (or younger where applicable law specifies).  Prohibited forms of labor include those detailed in ILO Convention 182: Worst Forms of Child Labor.

Prohibition of Slavery and Human Trafficking

Linde opposes all forms of slavery, practices akin to slavery, serfdom or other forms of domination or oppression, including extreme economic or sexual exploitation and humiliation, as well as trafficking of persons.

Suppliers

Suppliers and other third parties play a critical role in Linde’s ability to operate and provide products and services to its customers. Their actions and practices also reflect on Linde. Therefore, the company chooses suppliers carefully based on merit and a due diligence process. Linde expects suppliers to comply with legal requirements and to act in a manner that is consistent with Linde’s values and the principles outlined in its Code of Business Integrity and this policy. Linde has established due diligence processes for surveillance of potential human rights abuses, whether coming from the company’s own sourcing or its supply chain. Linde suppliers must also ensure compliance with the company’s contractual agreements, the company’s Code of Business Integrity and any additional specified supplier expectations, as outlined in the Supplier Code of Conduct and the Conflict-Free Materials Supply Policy.  

All of the company’s business conducted with suppliers and customers is based on fairness, honesty, lawfulness, safety, environmental stewardship and social consciousness.  

Community

Community is a core value at Linde and respecting human rights also extends to the communities where Linde has operations and where its team members live and work. Linde is committed to improving local communities. Linde endeavors to be a good neighbor and invests in communities. 

The company makes efforts to hire locally and to source  products and services in the countries in which they are needed. Linde also actively supports local communities through its Community Engagement Program and charitable contributions from the company’s Global Giving Program. This includes educational investments and research projects that make important and sustainable contributions in communities and neighborhoods.

Questions and Additional Information

Employees who have questions regarding this policy or a human rights matter, may direct their inquiries to their manager, compliance officer, or legal counsel. A key pillar of the company compliance program is the Linde Integrity Line, a global reporting system. It enables employees and external stakeholders to raise  concerns about suspected violations of this policy and others by email to integrity@linde.com, by  telephone or by post, anonymously if they wish. See the Code of Business Integrity.

Linde prohibits any form of retaliation against any individual for good faith reporting of what they believe to be non-compliance with this policy, the Code of Business Integrity, or any other policy.              

Responsibilities

Everyone at Linde is responsible for upholding and maintaining this policy. The Vice President of Sustainability has overall responsibility for the administration and communication of this policy through relevant responsible functions and ensuring appropriate follow-through of concerns raised.  Linde and its managers are responsible for upholding specific areas of this policy, communicating them to their employees, supporting Linde’s efforts to respect and support the protection of human rights, modeling their behavior accordingly, and raising concerns regarding potential non-compliance with this policy.  

Review

Every 3 years, or earlier if needed, by Sustainable Development.  

Issued

July, 2021