Integrity is vital for any corporation, but integrity comes from actions, not words. It comes from the conduct of all our people — our officers, employees and our suppliers and contracted service providers. It takes years to build a reputation for integrity, yet that reputation can be destroyed in a heartbeat.
Orchid International is committed to preserving and enhancing our integrity and reputation in the different countries and cultures in which we operate. The guidelines you will find in Orchid International’s code will help everyone make the right decisions. This is why we ask potential suppliers to read our Code of Conduct and Ethics carefully. With your commitment, it will be an important tool to help us achieve our mission to “Be the Best” in the eyes of our customers, employees, and suppliers.
Code of Conduct and Ethics
This “Code of Conduct and Ethics” applies to all employees of Orchid International, including officers and directors. We expect similar conduct from our suppliers and contracted service providers.
These standards are not voluntary. They are mandatory. They flow from laws that control our conduct around the world and from values that define who we are as a company. That is why we all have an obligation to understand these standards and to ask questions when we have doubts. While there are local laws that affect how you are allowed to report violations depending on where you work, this code is applicable everywhere we do business.
These legal and ethical standards will not be suspended to benefit the activity of our businesses or people. Any actions that violate this code will be addressed through appropriate sanctions, including termination of employment and de-sourcing of suppliers.
We are Careful about Accepting Gifts from Suppliers
A gift can be a simple expression of friendship. It is natural for some of us to develop friendships with suppliers we work with over the years. But even a gift offered with the best of intentions can have the appearance of compromising your objectivity and integrity. Therefore, Orchid International imposes restrictions on the gifts employees may accept from people with whom we do business.
The circumstances — timing, value, place — under which you receive a gift may dictate whether or not you should keep it. You may receive certain gifts, such as:
- Promotional material of a general advertising nature, such as imprinted pens, memo pads and calendars.
- Presentations of a ceremonial nature in keeping with national custom as long as it does not violate any law, cannot be construed as a bribe or a payoff, and will not embarrass the company if disclosed publicly.
- Gifts of nominal value (no more than $50), provided they are given as a gesture of professional friendship, and do not involve a company commitment having to do with the transaction of business.
- An occasional meal or entertainment to be paid by a supplier or potential supplier, as long as the supplier attends the event and such hospitality is not excessive or unusual.
Not acceptable:
- Orchid International strictly prohibits our employees or anyone else from giving or receiving bribes, kickbacks or any other form of improper payment, direct or indirect, to or from any representative of any government, any customer, contractor, supplier, consultant or advisor, or labor union, for any reason. All employees are strictly prohibited from accepting any such payment from anyone.
- Suppliers are to prepare all form of payments directly to Orchid International. Absolutely no payments are to be made directly to any individual.
Generally, employees should discourage outside vendors or suppliers from giving gifts since any gift might be misconstrued as an attempt to influence business decisions. If you do receive a gift, you must not allow it to influence your business relationship with any supplier or potential supplier.
We Require Ethical Behavior from Our Outside Consultants and Contracted Service Providers
Orchid International is responsible for ensuring that any outside consultant or contracted service provider that we hire is held to the same standards of integrity that Orchid International requires of our employees. And that includes obeying all the laws and government regulations that apply to us. If an outside contractor we hire violates our ethical standards, it can be equivalent to violating those standards ourselves.
We Build Mutually Beneficial Relationships with Suppliers
Orchid International makes every effort to build long-term relationships with our suppliers. We award business based on the value our suppliers provide to us and our customers, considering elements such as quality, price, delivery, technical support and service. All employees must follow these principles when dealing with suppliers:
- Provide fair and open information and instructions to each competing supplier.
- Protect all proprietary data our suppliers provide to us, in keeping with our agreements with them.
- Encourage new ideas, techniques and materials by all our people who purchase goods or services from other companies. The company expects employees to make reasonable efforts to evaluate new offerings.
- Communicate clearly and precisely, either orally or in writing, so that our customers understand the terms of our contracts, including performance criteria, costs and schedules.
- Suppliers are to prepare all form of payments directly to Orchid International. Absolutely no payments are to be made directly to any individual.
Supplier Expectations
We expect our Suppliers to:
- Abide by our Code of Conduct
- Provide high quality goods or services
- Deliver goods or services at a competitive price
- Stand behind the goods or services they provide
Non-Compliance
It is expected that all employees and suppliers of Orchid International will fully comply with the legal guidelines and regulations expressed in this code. Employees who do not comply may face disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. Suppliers are subject to being de-sourced and will not be allowed to participate in any future business opportunities with Orchid International.