Code of Conduct for European Merchandise Group (EMG) and Third-Party Intermediaries
This Code of Conduct defines the basic requirements placed on EMG suppliers and third-party intermediaries concerning their responsibilities towards their stakeholders and the environment. EMG reserves the right to reasonably change the requirements of this Code of Conduct. In such an event EMG expects the supplier to accept such reasonable changes.
The supplier and/or third-party intermediary declares herewith:
Legal compliance
- to comply with the laws of the applicable legal systems.
Prohibition of corruption and bribery
- to tolerate no form of and not to engage directly or indirectly in any form of corruption or bribery and not to grant, offer or promise anything of value to a government official or to a counterparty in the private sector to influence official action or obtain an improper advantage.
Fair competition, anti-trust laws and intellectual property rights
- to act in accordance with national and international competition, laws and not to participate in price fixing, market or customer allocation, market sharing or bid rigging with competitors.
- to respect the intellectual property rights of others.
Conflicts of interest
- to avoid all conflicts of interest that may adversely influence business relationships.
Respect for the basic human rights of employees
- to promote equal opportunities for and treatment of its employees irrespective of skin color, race nationality, social background, disabilities, sexual orientation, political or religious conviction, sex or age.
- to respect the personal dignity, privacy and rights of everyone.
- to refuse to employ or make anyone work against their will.
- to refuse to tolerate any unacceptable treatment of employees such as mental cruelty sexual harassment or discrimination.
- to prohibit behavior including gestures, language and physical contact that is sexual, coercive, threatening, abusive or exploitative.
- to provide fair remuneration and to guarantee the applicable national statutory minimum wage.
- to comply with the maximum number of working hours laid down in the applicable laws.
- to recognize as far as legally possible the right of free association of employees and to neither favor nor discriminate against members of employee organizations or trade unions.
Prohibition of child labor
- to employ no workers under the age of 15 or in those countries subject to the developing country exception of the ILO Convention 138 to employ no workers under the age of 14.
Health and safety of employees
- to take responsibility for the health and safety of its employees.
- to control hazards and take the best reasonably possible precautionary measures against accidents and occupational diseases.
- to provide training and ensure that employees are educated in health and safety issues.
- to set up or use a reasonable occupational health & safety management system.
Environmental protection
- to act in accordance with the applicable statutory and international standards regarding environmental protection.
- to minimize environmental pollution and make continuous improvements in environmental protection.
- to set up or use a reasonable environmental management system.
Supply chain
- to use reasonable efforts to promote among its supplier’s compliance with this Code of Conduct.
- to comply with the principles of non- discrimination regard to supplier selection and treatment.
Conflict Minerals
- to take reasonable efforts to avoid in its products the use of raw materials which directly or indirectly finance armed groups who violate human rights.