Anti-corruption is an important part of the HUBER+SUHNER interactive online compliance training that all employees must complete within the first 90 days of their employment with the company as part of their orientation training programme. The Code of responsible business conduct addresses the topic under the chapter titled “Fair operating practices”: all employees are requested to never directly or indirectly offer, promise or grant public officials, private parties, or contractual business partners any bribe or improper advantage; nor should they receive, tolerate, knowingly benefit from, or accept such bribery or improper advantage. Employees may not accept or provide gifts or favours that could be considered as improper influence. If the exchange of gifts is customary in a cultural area, they may only be of a symbolic nature.
The company does not support money laundering in any way. We maintain business relationships with recognised business partners who conduct legitimate business and whose funds come from legitimate sources.
Whenever personal interests or family or other ties conflict with the interests of our employees, they are obliged to ensure that the interests of HUBER+SUHNER are not affected by their own direct or indirect personal interests. Potential or existing interests must be duly reported to the respective superiors so that HUBER+SUHNER can resolve the matter in a fair and transparent manner.
The Executive Group Management approved a detailed anti-corruption guideline in September 2017. The guideline sets minimum standards within the HUBER+SUHNER Group with respect to anti-corruption, anti-bribery and conflicts of interest. The guideline applies to all HUBER+SUHNER divisions, regions, affiliates and branches.
Employees who find themselves in a conflict of interest or who acknowledge a breach of the Code of responsible business conduct are asked to speak up directly via their local compliance responsible or by phone or in writing via the Trustline which can be accessed around the clock. The Trustline is available in all company languages, and reports can be submitted anonymously. Although there is a high risk of corruption, bribery, and conflict of interest in some countries with HUBER+SUHNER subsidiaries, no cases were detected in 2022.