WE EMPOWER
Introduction
Building Responsibly is a leading group of engineering and construction companies working together to raise the bar protecting and enhancing worker welfare, dignity and respect in the built environment and energy sector through collective business action.
Technip Energies became a member of Building Responsibly in 2019 and joined the Steering Committee in 2021. The company has since been instrumental in the development of tools and standards associated with the Building Responsibly Worker Welfare Principles and Guidance Notes.
By establishing a set of Principles to serve as the global standard on worker welfare for the engineering and construction industry, Building Responsibly, aims to raise standards and level the playing field so that competitiveness is not achieved at the expense of the worker.
Through collective commitment and promotion of these Principles, we can foster a business environment that advances the safety, security, and welfare of all people—especially those working in the construction sector.
As a member of Building Responsibly we endeavor to “lead by example”, implementing these Principles and encouraging others in the engineering and construction sector to join our efforts to promote the rights and welfare of workers.
Challenge
Onboarding operators and subcontractors
Technip Energies undertakes major projects around the world, onboarding many operators and subcontractors. Once workers enter our project sites, they become our responsibility, and we are committed to ensuring their health, safety and wellbeing.
As a member of Building Responsibly, we are closely involved in the definition of standards and the development of tools to support the industry supply chain. Our aim is to encourage more responsible behaviors across our supply chain, in line with the commitments of our sustainability goals.
Solutions
We are committed to adopting and supporting the following Principles:
- Workers are treated with dignity, respect, and fairness
- Workers are free from forced, trafficked, and child labor
- Recruitment practices are ethical, legal, voluntary and free from discrimination
- Freedom to change employment is respected
- Working conditions are safe and healthy
- Living conditions are safe, clean, and habitable
- Access to documentation and mobility is unrestricted
- Wage and benefit agreements are respected
- Worker representation is respected
- Grievance mechanisms and access to remedy are readily available
Technip Energies Colombia has been involved in a multi-stakeholder organization “Guias Colombia” since 2006. This association brings together businesses, government agencies and civil society organizations to create practical guidelines for companies to promote human rights-friendly operations. These guidelines served as a basis for the Building Responsibly Principles.
Results
Sharing best practices
In October 2023, the Building Responsibly International Forum on Workers’ Welfare convened in Singapore, with the participation of more than 50 representatives from various sectors, including government, civil society, and finance. The forum aimed to foster collaboration and innovation among stakeholders, and to identify best practices and solutions for enhancing worker welfare in the industry.
During the 2023 forum, Technip Energies invited its client Neste to share the experience of the Human Rights Due Diligence program that we implemented for the execution of the Singapore Refinery Expansion project.
I would like to thank Technip Energies’ Sustainability team for their commitment and open mindset related to human rights and requirements within the project. With a few key practices in place, we have been able to observe the situation and make things right. Cases are tricky sometimes, and we have been able to follow them through with your hard work.”
In line with our commitment to promote workers’ rights in our operations as per Technip Energies Italy SA8000 standard certification (recently reconfirmed until 2028 with high maturity scoring assigned by BV on the management system 4.6 out of 5), we implemented a social monitoring program on the project supply chain, as well as a site grievance mechanism.
In October 2024, the Building Responsibly International Forum on Workers’ Welfare convened in Technip Energies’ Paris HQ.
We welcomed 33 members from 16 companies. The two-day event served as an opportunity for members to review the year, share progress from working groups, and identify priorities for 2025. Each company also had the chance to showcase their best practices, fostering knowledge sharing and collaboration.
While the dedication of Building Responsibly to advance human rights is already deeply embedded in Technip Energies’ core values, being part of Building Responsibly and adhering to its principles allows us to communicate our expectations to subcontractors and suppliers, thereby influencing positive change in our industry.
Progress requires collective effort. Collaboration and transparency with our peers are essential to addressing human rights risks in the supply chain.
In 2025, ADNOC decided to join Building Responsibly, working together with Technip Energies and the other Steering Committee members as well as associated peers, to raise the bar on human rights with collective business action.