Supplier Code of Conduct
Our global social responsibility is a direct reflection of our core values and enhances our ability to provide superior service and solutions to our clients, our employees and our communities. Authentix applies principles that encourage responsible conduct, integrity, and sound business practices by following seven guideposts: (1) obey the law, (2) avoid conflicts of interest, (3) keep accurate and honest records, (4) honor business obligations, (5) treat people with dignity and respect, (6) protect company information, assets and interests, and (7) commit to being a responsible global citizens.
Authentix Affiliated Companies (Authentix Inc., Security Print Solutions, Royal Joh. Enschede) (“Authentix”) are committed to the highest standards of integrity and social responsibility and expect the Suppliers we partner with to make a similar commitment. Authentix requires Suppliers to act in accordance with this code and with all applicable laws and regulations within the geographical area in which they operate, and to be open and cooperative with regulators that enforce such laws. Suppliers must impose substantially similar obligations to their own Suppliers, subcontractors, and agents.
Our reputation for integrity and our continued success depends on conducting business honestly and in accordance with our legal and regulatory obligations.
This code is not intended to address every potential situation that relates to our standards of conduct.
1. HUMAN RIGHTS
Authentix believes in treating all people with dignity and respect and is committed to supporting the protection and advancement of human rights in our business and throughout our supply chain. We strive to conduct our business operations in ways that seek to respect, protect and promote the full range of human rights, such as those described in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We expect our Suppliers to have appropriate policies and practices in place that apply to their employees and supply chains.
• Humane Treatment. Suppliers shall treat all workers with dignity and respect. The workplace shall be free of harassment and abuse. Suppliers will not engage in harsh or inhumane treatment including violence, mental or physical coercion, bullying, public shaming, or verbal abuse of workers.
• Discrimination. Suppliers must be committed to a workplace free of harassment and unlawful discrimination. Workers shall be employed based on their ability to do the job and not discriminated on the basis of race, sexual orientation, gender, color, age, national origin, disability, religion, ethnicity, marital status, or other classification.
• Freedom of Movement and Chosen Employment. Suppliers shall not force anyone into performing work and shall not be involved in any manner in human trafficking.
• Child Labor Avoidance. Suppliers shall respect and comply with the minimum age for employment under applicable law. The term “child,” unless otherwise specified by applicable laws regarding minimum working age, refers to any person employed below the age of 15 or below the age for completing compulsory education. Suppliers shall refrain from hiring anyone under the age of 18 to carry out work which is likely to jeopardize their health, safety, or morals.
• Wages, Benefits and Working Hours. Suppliers shall ensure their employees receive at least the minimum compensation, benefits and overtime payments required by law. Suppliers shall provide their employees adequate time off and shall not exceed the maximum working hours.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Authentix encourages Suppliers to develop and promote inclusive cultures where diversity is valued and celebrated and everyone is able to contribute fully and reach their full potential. Suppliers should encourage diversity in all levels of their workforce and leadership, including boards of directors.
• Recruitment Practices. Suppliers will not require workers to pay Supplier’s agent’s recruitment fees or other related fees for their employment. Suppliers will provide full reimbursement to job seekers and workers if they have been required to pay such fees or costs.
• Freedom of Association. Suppliers shall recognize their employee’s right to join or refuse to join labor unions or associations and to bargain collectively as permitted by law.
• Vulnerable Groups. Supplier shall commit to protecting the rights of vulnerable groups within their business and supply chains, particularly the rights of women, indigenous people, children and migrant workers.
• Human Rights Defenders. Suppliers are encouraged to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms through peaceful means. Suppliers shall neither tolerate or contribute to threats, intimidation, or attacks against human rights defenders in relation to their operations to create safe and enabling environments for civic engagement and human rights at local, national, and international levels.
2. HEALTH & SAFETY
Authentix believes all workers should be provided a safe and healthy working environment in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Suppliers shall have safety procedures for their employees and tracking tools that drive a goal of zero workplace safety incidents. Supplier employees have the right to refuse work and report any conditions that do not meet these criteria. Suppliers shall also properly manage the health and safety of contractors working on their premises.
• Occupational Safety. Suppliers shall identify, assess, and mitigate the potential for employee exposure to hazards by eliminating the hazard, substituting processes or materials, controlling through proper design, implementing engineering and administrative controls, preventive maintenance, and safe work procedures.
• Emergency Preparedness. Suppliers shall actively work to identify and assess potential emergency situations and events and minimize their impact by implementing emergency plans and response procedures and providing training to employees.
• Protection Against Physically Demanding Work. Suppliers shall identify, evaluate, and control worker exposure to the hazards of physically demanding tasks, including manual material handling and heavy or repetitive lifting, prolonged standing, and highly repetitive or forceful assembly tasks.
• Occupational Injury and Illness. Suppliers shall have procedures and systems in place to prevent, investigate, manage, track, and report injuries and illness, including provisions that encourage worker reporting, provide necessary medical treatment, ensure case investigation, and the implementation of corrective actions.
3. ENVIRONMENT
Authentix recognizes the critical importance of a healthy environment to our global society, our economy, our business and our people. We believe that a meaningful commitment to protecting the environment must begin with our internal operations. Authentix is committed to enhancing our conduct and carrying out policies and programs that minimize our direct impact on the environment with focus on employee safety.
We aspire to the best practices in management of our physical business operations and product procurement, and we seek to develop effective relationships with our Suppliers to encourage environmental awareness and support for Authentix’s environmental objectives.
We encourage Suppliers to commit to being responsible citizens by implementing policies and measures that aim to reduce the environmental impact of their operations.
• Responsible Stewardship. Engage in the protection of the public and the environment, understand the effects of your impact in the areas where you do business, and lessen your impact by undertaking near-term or midterm actions to remediate a site when no permanent solution exists.
• Environmental Permits and Reporting. Suppliers must obtain, maintain, and keep current all applicable environmental permits, approvals and registrations, as well as follow relevant operational and reporting requirements.
• Pollution Prevention. Do not pollute the environment or waste resources. Suppliers shall identify and quantify the environmental impact of their operations, products, and/or services.
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Suppliers are encouraged to investigate ways to improve energy efficiency including quantifying, disclosing, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in their operations and encouraging their own Suppliers to do the same.
• Air Emissions. Suppliers shall pursue a clean air agenda for the health and safety of their workers by reducing operational impact on air pollution and taking action where possible on any identified adverse impacts on air quality.
• Hazardous Substances and Waste Management. Suppliers shall ensure that chemicals and other materials that pose a hazard to the environment are identified and managed to ensure their safe handling, movement, storage, use, recycling or reuse, and disposal.
4. BUSINESS INTEGRITY
Ethical guidelines are established to achieve success in the marketplace without ignoring social responsibilities. Suppliers shall conduct their business with the highest ethical standards, and in accordance with all applicable laws, throughout their entire supply chain.
• Honor Business Obligations. Authentix chooses Supplier Partners based on a mutual desire to build productive relationships. This requires honest communication, mutual response, and delivering on commitments.
• Anti-Corruption / Anti-Bribery. Suppliers must fully comply with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws including but not limited to relevant acts such as the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or the UK Bribery Act.
• Counterfeit Parts. Suppliers shall never utilize counterfeit components in any product supplied to Authentix. Suppliers shall also minimize the risk of introducing diverted parts and materials into deliverable products and adhere to relevant technical regulations in the product design process.
• Export Controls and Sanctions. As a global company, Authentix delivers products and services all over the world. It is imperative that, like us, our Suppliers comply with all local and national rules and regulations that regulate our international trading activity. All restrictions, controls, applicable economic sanctions, and other similar trade-related laws and regulations shall be followed.
• Ethical Behavior. Suppliers will uphold the highest standards of integrity in all business interactions, avoiding conflicts of interest and operating honestly and ethically in accordance with applicable law, including those laws pertaining to anti-competitive business practices.
5. PROTECT COMPANY RESOURCES
Authentix trusts Suppliers to protect confidential and proprietary information which includes information not available to the public.
• Disclosure of Information. Suppliers shall accurately disclose information regarding their labor, health and safety, environmental practices, business activities, financial situation, and performance in accordance with applicable regulations. All Supplier business dealings will be transparently performed and accurately reflected on the Supplier’s business books and records. Falsification of records or misrepresentation of conditions or practices in the supply chain are unacceptable.
• Intellectual Property. Suppliers shall respect intellectual property rights. Transfer of technology and know-how must be done in a manner that protects intellectual property rights and customer and supplier information must be safeguarded.
• Privacy. Suppliers shall protect the personal information of everyone they do business with, including suppliers, customers, consumers, and employees. Suppliers will comply with privacy and information security laws and regulatory requirements when personal information is collected, stored, processed, transmitted, and shared.
6. COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Suppliers shall establish and maintain a management system that ensures compliance with applicable laws and identifies and mitigates operational risks. No company can be perfect in every area of their business operations but a structured management systems should be adopted by the Supplier to facility continuous improvement and prompt corrective action.
• Leadership Commitment. Suppliers should have corporate, social, and environmental responsibility policies endorsed by their management team to affirm their commitment to the values and topics address in this Code of Conduct.
• Risk Assessment and Management. Suppliers shall have adequate processes in place to identify risks associated with their operations and have appropriate procedures and controls to manage such risks and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Improvement Objectives. Suppliers should always strive for improvement by periodically evaluating conformance to the standards set forth in this Code of Conduct and maintaining open discussions with Authentix.
• Corrective Action Process. Suppliers shall have a process for timely correction of any deficiencies or violations they identify and those identified by Authentix or internal/external auditors through assessment, inspection, investigation, or review.
• Communication & Training. Suppliers shall ensure that processes tailored to address their particular risk areas are communicated clearly through adequate training.
• Documentation. Suppliers shall have adequate processes for creating and maintaining documentation and records to ensure regulatory compliance and conformity, and safeguards for confidentiality to protect privacy.
• Supplier Responsibility. Suppliers shall take card to only do business with others that adhere to the same standard of ethics and compliance.