Anti-Human Trafficking Compliance Plan

USAID Biodiversity Conservation Activity

In order to comply with the WWF "trafficking in persons" (TIP) policy Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. (FVB) has developed this Anti-Human Trafficking Compliance Plan (AHTCP) within the framework of the USAID Biodiversity Conservation Activity.

Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. commits to comply with the following standards to avoid any form of human trafficking:

1. FVB is comitted to conducting research activities in a way that respects human rights, including oppositon to human trafficking and forced labor in any form. FVB staff shall not engage in the following prohibited TIP related activities:

  • Trafficking in persons (to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in persons, escecially Women an Children, supplementing the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime);
  • Procuring commercial sex acts;
  • Using forced labor;
  • Acts that directly support or advance trafficking in persons

Failure to comply with this policy will result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.

2. All FVB employees under the USAID Biodiversity Conservation Activity are required to report any possible non-compliance immediately to the Managing Director of the FVB. All new emloyees under the USAID Biodiversity Conservation Activity are provided with a copy of the AHTCPand are required to annually confirm that they have recieved and reviewed the Trafficking in Persons policy.

3. Subcontractors and tendeers working with FVB have to declare that they comply with the regluations against clandestine employment, illegal hiring out of employees as temporary workers and againstbenefit abuse under the terms of the German Code of Social Law (Drittes Solzialgesetzbuch), the Temporary Employment Act (Arbeitnehmerüberlassungsgesetz) and the Act to Combat Undeclared Work (Gesetz zur Bekämpfung der Schwarzarbeit). The declaration is obligatory to proceed with the purchasing and procurement processes.

4. FVB only uses recruitment companies for administrative employees, not for scientific staff and not for employees working in third party funded projects. In cases recruitment companies are used FVB only uses recruitment companies with trained employees and will not use recruiters who charge recruitment fees to potential employees. Wages must meet the requirements of the host country.

5. In accordance with the German collective agreement of the public sector (TVöD - Tarifvertrag des öffentlichen Dienstes) any employee´s work document (employment contract, recruitment offer, or other required work documents) shall be in a language the employee understands. If this is not the case FVB provides an English language transcript. The employee´s work documentwill include details such as a work/position description, wages, work location(s), working days, living accomodation(s) and associated costs (if applicable), roundtrip transportation arrangements (if applicable), and the content of the applicable laws and regulations. Typically, FVB does not provide housing. In the event that FVB is required to provide or arrange housing under the USAID Biodiversity Conservation Activity, such housing will be provided that meets host-country housing and safety standards.