Statement of Principles on Responsible Corporate Governance
October 2024
SM CARE SOLUTIONS supports employers in Germany with the recruitment and integration of international nursing professionals. We have been recruiting nurses from the Philippines and placing them in Germany since 2014. Together with our partner in the Philippines, we want to enable employers to meet the challenges of international skilled worker recruitment and labor migration while maintaining the highest ethical standards in order to offer the recruited workers the best possible protection against the risks of labor migration.
Preamble
The recruitment and hiring of professionals at SM CARE Solutions is based on the highest ethical standards. The services of SM CARE SOLUTIONS are therefore characterized by the requirement to facilitate processes and procedures for all parties involved that are characterized by fairness and transparency and are shaped by the guiding principle of equality.
SM CARE SOLUTIONS is aware that all those involved in the recruitment process bear a special responsibility for the recruited care professionals and must be prepared to accept this responsibility at all times.
SM CARE SOLUTIONS therefore regards this policy statement as binding for all employees, clients and business partners in the recruitment process. With this in mind, SM CARE SOLUTIONS undertakes to comply with the following guiding principles, which are postulated and continuously updated by the “Fair Recruitment Care Germany” quality seal.
The current “Quality and Inspection Regulations” for the “Fair Recruitment Care Germany” quality seal apply.
SM CARE SOLUTIONS undertakes to comply with all international regulations, agreements and standards that are legally binding for the recruitment of skilled workers into the labor market in Germany. These standards are regarded as minimum standards. SM CARE SOLUTIONS and all business partners and clients shall endeavor to raise these standards in their own area of responsibility whenever possible for the benefit of Filipino caregivers.
SM CARE SOLUTIONS is committed to respecting international human rights on the basis of the UN human rights conventions and the “United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights”. This voluntary commitment also applies in particular to international labor rights as codified by the core labor standards of the International Labor Organization and specified in the “ILO General Principles and operational Guidelines for fair Recruitment and Definition of Recruitment Fees and related Costs” for the recruitment of international workers.
SM CARE SOLUTIONS undertakes to comply with the current “WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel”.
In all business activities, SM CARE SOLUTIONS takes particular account of the currently valid “WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List”.
SM CARE SOLUTIONS undertakes to subject all agreements with clients and partners in the recruitment process to the written form requirement. This is intended on the one hand to emphasize the binding nature of agreements and on the other hand to facilitate the documentation of all process steps in the procedure.
SM CARE SOLUTIONS undertakes to ensure that the recruited specialists do not have to bear any costs caused by the recruitment and recruitment as well as by the conditions for immigration and work permits established by the host country. (Employer pays principle)
On the basis of this voluntary commitment, SM CARE SOLUTIONS ensures that at no time during the recruitment process are placement costs or costs for services directly related to placement and recruitment to be borne by the care professionals. Throughout the entire recruitment process - from recruitment to the professional license in Germany - no costs are charged to the nurses or payments required in connection with recruitment, recruitment, language training, flight costs and migration and professional recognition procedures. No deposit fees or similar payments are required (no-fee policy).
SM CARE SOLUTIONS and its partners and clients are committed to strict compliance with the Employer Pays Principle as defined by the “Fair Recruitment Care Germany” seal of approval throughout the entire service chain. This strict Employer Pays Principle serves as a standard of interpretation.
SM CARE SOLUTIONS recognizes that recruited care professionals provide valuable services, invest time and forgo income as part of the recruitment process. They do this in reliance on the promises made by the recruiting employer.
SM CARE SOLUTIONS therefore undertakes to waive any commitment and repayment obligations for the care professionals in all contracts and to oblige employers not to use employment contracts for the recruited professionals that contain commitment and repayment obligations relating to the costs of placement and recruitment.
SM CARE SOLUTIONS pursues a strict policy of maximum transparency for care professionals, partners and clients. Transparency and early information about the challenges and costs of the entire recruitment process as well as any necessary professional recognition procedures, adaptation measures and integration measures lead to long-term stable employment relationships.
SM CARE SOLUTIONS is based on the model of the well-trained, autonomous and well-informed international care worker. SM CARE SOLUTIONS and its partner network aim to provide international care professionals with the best possible support and guidance during their migration to Germany. The aim is long-term, successful migration to Germany. Recruiting employers are recommended to develop and implement an adequate integration management concept for international nurses and trainees. Measures for further language support beyond what is required by law are expressly recommended.
SM CARE SOLUTIONS recognizes its overall responsibility for the recruitment processes managed by SM CARE SOLUTIONS and is committed to protecting both international care professionals and employers from known risks to the best of its ability and minimizing identified risks wherever possible.
With this in mind, SM CARE SOLUTIONS strives to ensure that all business partners adhere to the standards mentioned in this policy statement and works closely with them to ensure this.
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