Jamshedpur, April 13: Tata Steel today made sexual harassment at workplace punishable, making it one of the few companies to have done so.

It signed a memorandum of settlement with the Tata Workers’ Union in the presence of labour commissioner Nidhi Khare.

According to the memorandum, an additional clause has been incorporated in the Works Standing Orders of the company — the act of misconduct on sexual harassment at workplace.

It will be punishable, if proved under the existing provisions of the Works Standing Orders.

This new clause has been inserted by Tata Steel following a directive issued by the Supreme Court to incorporate one such provision in the respective standing orders of companies arising out of a case —Vishakha and others vs State of Rajasthan and others.

The company has also implemented the Supreme Court guideline for the constitution of a complaints committee to look into the grievances of women employees regarding sexual harassment at workplace.

Rekha Seal, the ethics counsellor, will be the convener of the committee. The six-member committee comprises an equal number of women and men executives as representatives, including women from NGOs.

This committee is the first of its kind with which women employees can directly lodge complaints of any unwelcome sexually-determined behaviour, directly or by implication.

The committee is bound to investigate the matter and take penal action in accordance with the existing provisions of the Works Standing Orders.

Terming the memorandum historic in the light of the Supreme Court judgment, Khare said this would ensure protection of women employees and help them build their careers.

Encouraging Tata Steel to undertake many more women-related welfare measures in the future, Khare said more and more women were joining the workforce and they needed to be assured of their safety and rights at workplace.

Managing director B. Muthuraman said Tata Steel, over the past 97 years, has had several firsts in the area of labour welfare.

“Tata Steel has always believed in empowering women and has taken many initiatives in the direction and will continue to do so in the future as well,” he said.

The company introduced Maternity Benefit Scheme in 1928, which was legally enforced in the country as late as 1946.

Tata Workers’ Union president R.B.B. Singh expressed satisfaction with the agreement and said the union and Tata Steel have together espoused the cause of women employees.

This is demonstrated by the Tejaswini programme under which women are encouraged and trained to undertake jobs, such as using heavy mobile equipment, traditionally handled by men employees.