Smiths News Code of Business Conduct
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While we are primarily focused on delivering value to our shareholders, this Code of Business Conduct takes into account the interests of all stakeholders that the Group’s activities reach: namely, investors, employees, customers, suppliers, competitors and the wider community - as well as the environment shared by everyone.
Shareholders
The Company is responsible to those who provide funding. We:
- Provide financial reports that are accurate and timely
- Seek to use financial resources entrusted to us in ways that maximise value over time.
- Communicate honestly to all concerned our policies, achievements, risks and prospects.
- Work at all times to comply with the provisions of the Stock Exchange Listing Rules and aim to comply with corporate governance best practice.
- Safeguard shareholder funds against fraud or bribery.
Employees
The Company values its employees highly. We:
- Respect the dignity and rights of all employees
- Provide healthy and safe work environments
- Have a transparent remuneration policy that rewards the contribution of our people
- Encourage employees to develop skills and progress their careers
- Do not tolerate any sexual, physical or mental harassment of our employees.
- Do not discriminate on the grounds of of worker status, colour, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or religion
- Do not employ underage employees
- Encourage employee to report any suspicions of fraud, bribery or undesirable practice and we have introduced a process to facilitate this, including a whistleblowing telephone hotline.
- Comply with rules of immigration and respect people’s right to work.
Customers
The Company's customers are of paramount importance. We:
- Seek to be honest and fair in our dealings with our customers
- Provide the quality and standard of service that customers have a right to expect
- Provide and promote a range of products and services responsive to customer needs that provide value for money
- Provide products that are safe, fit for purpose, meet legal standards and are never described in a misleading manner
- Treat all customer complaints seriously and provide a readily accessible source of advice and guidance regarding our products and services
Suppliers and business partners
The Company's relations with its suppliers are based on mutual trust and respect. We:
- Seek to be honest and fair in our relationships with suppliers
- Pay suppliers in accordance with agreed terms
- Respect any confidential information
- Respect copyright and intellectual property rights
- Have a policy not to offer, pay or accept bribes or similar/analogous favours
- Encourage our suppliers and business partners to at least meet the same standards of business conduct as those outlined in this Code.
Community and environment
The Company seeks to be a good corporate citizen, respecting the laws of the countries in which we operate and contributing to the communities in which we operate. We:
- Aim to make the communities in which we work better places to live and do business
- Seek to be sensitive to the local community's culture and social and economic needs
- Encourage our employees to be involved with local communities to their mutual benefit
- Measure and, where appropriate, seek to reduce the environmental impacts of our business activities. We will optimise our use of energy and natural resources and reduce our generation of waste
September 2011