Purpose of Code of Ethics
The Uniteam Group shall operate in accordance with the owners’ goals and motives. In addition to that, the company depends on serious, responsible, loyal, and long-term owners and colleagues. Moreover, Uniteam acts in accordance with The UN Global Compact’s ten principles.
Uniteam’s reputation in society is crucial for the fulfillment of the company’s objective. Thus this Code of Ethics is set up to clarify the company’s ethical platform. The goal is to stimulate each employee with corporate culture and behaviour so that each employee reflects the value base for the enterprise (Norwegian MILK: Mennesker, Inntjening, Løsninger, Kvalitet).
Uniteam shall strive for excellence in the following areas: People, Contribution, Solutions, Quality.
The Code of Ethics shall secure that everyone who acts on behalf of Uniteam carries out their operations in an ethical and defensible way. Good judgement, caution, and consideration must also be practiced on behalf of Uniteam.
Scope
The Code of Ethics applies to all persons that act on behalf of Uniteam – including temporary staff and employee representatives in Uniteam and in Uniteam subsidiaries. If there is any doubt whether an activity is legal or ethically defensible, one must, if feasible, consult one’s superior or the companies’ HR departments in advance and as soon as possible.
Responsibility
The Board of Directors in Uniteam approves the Code of Ethics. The CEO is responsible for preparation, maintenance, implementation, and also compliance with these ethical guidelines. All executives/managers are responsible to announce and notify these guidelines to their staff, colleagues, and others who might act on behalf of Uniteam.
It is expected that all employees act in accordance with these guidelines. Any breach of these ethical guidelines must be reported. Violation of these guidelines will not be tolerated. In accordance with relevant legal provisions, and company regulations violations can lead to disciplinary actions, dismissal, or criminal prosecution.
Notice of Ethical Situations
Uniteam wants to actively stimulate responsible ethical behaviour in an improvement-focused and non-bureaucratic way. As a principal rule, one must discuss ethical issues with one’s superior. If this is not suitable in the particular case, one must consult other superiors or the HR department.
An employee who in good faith consults a superior or others in staff functions in connection with ethical issues will be protected against sanctions from Uniteam as a consequence of such communication. Any discrimination or harassment against individuals who have reported ethical issues will be seen as a breach of the ethical guidelines.
Work Environment, Equal Possibilities, and Personal Behaviour
The work environment shall reflect equality, openness, and tolerance. All behaviour must be based on respect for human values. All cultures and customs shall be respected.
The company accepts no form of harassment or discrimination based on sex, religion, race, national or ethnical origin, cultural background, social belonging, handicap, sexual orientation, marital status, age, or political opinion.
Uniteam shall be characterized by giving equal employment opportunities and rightful treatment.
Uniteam shall be a clean and sober workplace. A limited amount of alcohol may be served in connection with events or representation. However, the intake of alcohol related to events or representation shall never be combined with working with machinery, driving, or other hazardous exposed situations. Moreover, use of tobacco, snuff, or similar must follow current laws, regulations, and the companies’ hygienic rules.
The use of Uniteam’s branded logo must be carried out with caution on the basis of the company’s reputation.
Uniteam works in accordance with labour laws and takes an active stand against undeclared labour.
Conflict Of Interest, Integrity, and Competence
Inappropriate advantages, including but not limited to means that could harm Uniteam’s reputation or interests, must not be obtained for oneself or others. One must always practice good judgement, caution, consideration, and integrity on behalf of Uniteam.
Bribery, gifts, benefits, and corruption
Illegal or unlawful monetary gifts or other improper advantages shall never be offered to anybody, hereunder public employees, our customers, or suppliers, in order to achieve commercial preferential treatment. This applies whether the offer is made directly or through a middleman.
Gifts or other benefits to business associates must be in accordance with local business practice and the recipient’s regulations. The value of the gifts must be limited and should not be handed out on a frequent basis. Generally, gifts, covered travels, and or other advantages received from business associates cannot be of such extent or frequency that it may create doubt about Uniteam’s integrity or the independence of the recipient – this being employees, employee representatives, or executives in Uniteam.
Private needs shall not be covered through offers from suppliers to the companies that are better than the general conditions or joint accessible conditions.
Everybody must always practice openness when it comes to receiving and handing out gifts or other benefits.
Uniteam shall not participate in agreements against fair competition or cartels.
Competence
If a personal interest may affect a decision in a case, or other People might consider it likely, the case must be handed over to a superior. In this matter, one must always inform the superior about possible incompetence such as ownership interests, family relations, or close friendships related to business and business relations. One must declare themselves legally incompetent under such circumstances.
Employees and Members of the Board must avoid direct as well as indirect personal interests in other businesses if such an interest could be experienced as undermining the loyalty to Uniteam.
Attention/Representation
General forms of hospitality and social gathering is a normal and polite way to take care of business associates. However, the attention must not develop in such a way that it can affect the decision-making process. The extent and frequency of the attention must always be reasonable in relation to the extent of business involvement.
Travel expenses
Travel expenses related to work should be covered by the respective company. Exception from this principle requires approval from one’s superiors.
Political contribution
Uniteam as a company, employees, or members of the Board cannot give economical support to any political party on behalf of the companies. However, this does not prevent Uniteam from supporting specific political views, which could promote Uniteam’s interests.
Confidential information
Confidential information received in the capacity of being a representative for Uniteam must be dealt with respectfully and cannot be used for personal gain or passed on to persons not concerned. Hence, information regarding prices, products, concepts, or other conditions of the utmost importance for business associates must not be passed on to an outsider.
Information, intellectual property rights, and innovative ideas are valuable for Uniteam. Due to that, employees and Members of the Board must protect such intangible assets in an appropriate way. Confidential information demands careful attention in regard to internal and external interested parties.
Environment
Uniteam aims to practice its activities without harming the environment and human beings, and without loss of material value. For this purpose, the protection and reduction of pollution of the inner and outer environment must be in accordance with society’s official requirements and principles.
Uniteam shall be recognized as a company continuously working to achieve better health, environment, and safety for its surroundings and in connection with its projects and supplies.
Economy and Transactions
Uniteam shall present a complete, genuine, accurate, and comprehensible account in its financial reports, and in all other documentation that is passed on to public authority and in general public communication.
For this reason, all accounts and statements must be kept according to current laws, regulations, and good practices. Furthermore, all activities with economic consequences must be properly documented, and transactions must not on purpose be wrongly classified.
The financial statements shall give a correct image of Uniteam’s possessions, contractual obligations, and expenses.
Communication
In all communication, Uniteam shall be guided by the principle values: PCSQ – People, Contribution, Solutions, and Quality. This means that we shall always communicate and treat People with kindness, sincerity, honesty, and credibility.
Additionally, the employees must be the first to receive information that affects their working conditions.