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Business Ethics PolicyGoal & Scope
HEDLEY’S TEA operates all activities in the spirit and letter of all laws and regulations affecting its businesses and employees. The guiding principles of HEDLEY’S business ethics are derived from the family values and ethical business culture enshrined in HEDLEY’S TEA since its inception. It is an expectation that all employees conduct themselves with integrity and kindness in accordance with this long-standing commitment, which is also the founding philosophy of HEDLEY’S as defined by the Founder of HEDLEY’S, Saman Kasthurirathne and embraced by the Board of Directors. This document lays down the business ethics policy and the Code of Conduct of HEDLEY’S TEA.
Business Ethics
HEDLEY’S values form an integral part of conducting our business and reflect a commitment to Taste, Goodness and Purpose – integrity in relation to product, customer, our community and natural environment. The HEDLEY’S business and its employees will conduct themselves in a socially and ethical manner while actively contributing to our nation, our community, environment and the legacy that we leave in each of these areas. Corporate values are a distinct set of standards for behavior that are selected to ensure that the same values are respected across the organization. All employees at HEDLEY’S TEA are expected to adhere to the following values;
Dedication: Willingness to devote time and energy to an assigned set of tasks in line with a purpose linked to the overall interest of the organization
Integrity: Preference to do what is right in line with moral and ethical convictions under all circumstances
Loyalty: Devoted association with the organization and demonstrating affection towards it
Motivation: Demonstration of inner drive towards action in fulfilling identified needs
Authenticity: Being real and genuine in all circumstances
Humane-ness: Displaying compassion and kindness towards one another
Our Business Ethics govern our interaction with customers, consumers, agents and network members globally. With such a variety of relations being formed involving different cultures and ways of doing business, our business ethics policy, with its values and principles are based on the family values around which our Founder formed his business and the Purpose that adds to the commercial aspects of the HEDLEY’S Tea business.
HEDLEY’S TEA employees are required to act in the best interests of the Company without compromising those of our Nation, Community or Environment. The business ethics policy and the Code of Conduct will guide each employee in determining the correct course of action when dealing with ethical standards in the performance of their duties.
Commitment and Responsibility
HEDLEY’S TEA as the promoter of Sri Lankan tea business under the “HEDLEY’S” brand name has championed quality, authenticity and variety in tea. HEDLEY’S TEA pioneered the concept of Single Origin Tea in 1992 when the company went against the prevailing industry direction to declare its commitment to authenticity. Garden fresh, unblended tea is a hallmark of HEDLEY’S and offers a unique taste of unblended Ceylon Tea packed at source.
The wider Purpose of HEDLEY’S is connected with the uniqueness of HEDLEY’S as one of the world’s first producer owned tea companies. At the time HEDLEY’S Founder Saman W. Kasthurirathne began his effort to launch his own, fully Sri Lankan, Ceylon (Sri Lankan) Tea brand, a colonial economic system prevailed in countries producing tea, coffee and cocoa, which led to the accrual of value in developed economies which were extracting value from the efforts of tea, coffee and cocoa workers, to their own disproportionate benefit and the disadvantage of the generally less developed economies in which these crops are grown.
HEDLEY’S TEA retains its earnings in Sri Lanka and shares a minimum 5% of HEDLEY’S TEA company profits with the community through the work of the HUMANITEA Charitable Initiative. Our business is driven by our Founder, Saman W.Kasthurirathne’s vision that Business is a Matter of Human Service. In fulfillment of this vision, HUMANITEA Charitable Initiative as an integral part of HEDLEY’S TEA, has committed to the conservation and restoration of the environment as well as protection of human rights of its workers in its factories, estates and associated businesses as well as women, men, girls and boys of our communities.
HEDLEY’S TEA’s internal procedures ensure that all its international dealings are conducted in accordance with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements and the highest standards of ethical business conduct.
It is the responsibility of all HEDLEY’S TEA employees to follow the principles of business ethics enumerated herein and report an infringement or suspected infringement, legal or regulatory, to the CEO or to their direct manager or to a member of the Compliance Team in accordance with the company policy on this subject.
HEDLEY’S TEA will regularly and continually assess its ethical business performance standards to ensure that they incorporate local and international best practices in ethical, professional and legal standards of conducting business, while reflecting changing social and environmental priorities.
Compliance with Laws, Rules and Regulations
In conducting day to day business activities, all employees are to follow and observe local laws, rules and regulations and those of the countries with which they engage in business activities.
The Company has also obtained all necessary licenses and permits which are required to carry out business operations locally and internationally.
HEDLEY’S TEA complies with all applicable export, import and trade compliance laws in all countries in which HEDLEY’S TEA does business. The Company adheres to customer requirements and customer specific codes of conduct.
HEDLEY’S TEA prohibits all acts of fraud including but not limited to dishonesty, forgery, theft and the like and behavior that violates applicable Laws of the land.
Conflicts of interest
A situation that creates, appears to create, or might create a conflict of interest between personal interests and the interests of the company must be avoided at all costs. Employees must declare any information which would impede their ability to follow this regulation in their day to day activity or operation. Business activities are to be carried out impartially and fairly and no concessions to be given for exchange of any personal gains.
Accurate Records & Confidential Information
All records are to be accurate and maintained in accordance with specified requirements set out by the Company adhering to applicable standards and business practices worldwide. Records and documents (including, financial, business and legal) are to be retained or destroyed according to relevant Laws, regulations and company operating procedures.
The confidential information of the Company (including emails, letters, manuals, agreements, contracts, etc) is to be exclusively retained within the Company. The Company ensures that confidentiality of personal information of employees is protected at all times. Such information shall not be shared with anyone outside the Company or even within the Company if there is no legal/ethical reason for it. Similarly, any information obtained from a Customer is not to be disclosed or shared outside of the Company and even then, only with those within the Company to whom it pertains.
No Employee is permitted to disclose any Company trade secrets, any confidential or personal information that they have been given access to in order for them to properly carry out their duties. Employees dealing with matters of confidence signs a Confidentiality Agreement with the Company declaring their commitment to the above. The IT Policy of the Company set out guidelines for standard of behavior for all employees/ contractors and third parties accessing online services, including the internet & e-mail.
Company Resources
The resources provided by the Company are there to assist employees in performing their day to day responsibilities efficiently and productively. While the Company ensures that all needed resources, be it equipment or otherwise, are provided to aid the employee in effectively carrying out Company business, the employee is responsible for ensuring that these resources are used solely for the purposes of work.
Under no circumstances are these resources to be shared with anyone outside the Company or to be used for private purposes. Similarly, employees are responsible for taking appropriate measures to protect these resources.
Personal Conduct
Each and every employee of the Company irrespective of their position represents the organization to the outside world. The way they present themselves is the way our Company is perceived; therefore, the highest professional standards and etiquettes must be present at all times irrespective of any situation or conflict. This strictly applies to interaction within the Company and outside whereby all employees carry a duty to act professionally and maintain a very high standard of ethics.
Non-Discrimination
HEDLEY’S TEA is committed to offering equal opportunities to all persons without discrimination irrespective of race, gender, marital status, religion or disability. HEDLEY’S TEA is equally committed to ensuring a safe working environment for its employees free of any sort of harassment. Any employee found violating this policy will face disciplinary actions which may also lead to dismissal from the Company.
Anti-Bribery and Corruption
HEDLEY’S TEA has adopted a strict policy on Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption which all employees are expected to adhere to. It is our policy to comply with all applicable anti- bribery laws and applicable laws of countries where HEDLEY’S TEA operates. It is also required by HEDLEY’S TEA that all suppliers, customers, agents and those who work on behalf of HEDLEY’S TEA comply with these same laws and practices.
Employees may not give anything of value to any person as an inducement for an award of business, any favors or gifts to government officials in exchange for favorable treatment. No cash payments may be made to a customer or supplier except as needed for approved expenses documented in accordance with Company requirements.
Fair Competition
The Company refrains from involvement in any anti- competitive behavior such as price fixing, bid rigging and selling a product at a very low price with the intent of driving competitors out of the market and imposing unfair sanctions on competitors. In the interests of integrity, HEDLEY’S shall also refrain from compromising the core values of the business in relation to product Integrity, Safety, and Quality to respect the covenant and trust that exist between consumer and HEDLEY’S.
Corporate Governance & Financial reporting
HEDLEY’S TEA demonstrates utmost integrity in its financial reporting and has established accounting procedures and internal accounting controls, and undergone regular internal and external audit to ensure full fair and accurate disclosures in its financial statement.
Apart from regular periodic internal audits, external audits of high risk areas of the business and company procedures and practices are also conducted from time to time to ensure best practices are being adhered to.
Intellectual Property
The Company ensures that its intellectual property is protected in all countries in which the Company operates. Thus Company will be entitled to exclusive use of these rights and does not allow employees or suppliers to utilize these rights for their own purposes, unless otherwise agreed in writing
The Company also ensures not to violate the Intellectual Property rights of any third party, including its distributors, customers, etc.
Corporate Social Responsibility/ Sustainability
Our business is driven by our Founder, Mr. Saman W. Kasthurirathne’s vision that Business is a Matter of Human Service. The Company therefore is dedicated to sharing the benefits of its business with the community and the environment. The charitable activities involve numerous projects handled by the HUMANITEA Charitable Initiative benefitting the lives of underprivileged people and in ensuring environmental sustainability respectively.
HEDLEY’S Tea is ethically produced and all packaging displays the Ethical Tea logo which signifies that the profits are retained in Sri Lanka and reinvested to improve living standards among tea estate workers and the community at large.
Compliance and reporting
Adhering to HEDLEY’S TEA business ethics and policies is the responsibility of everyone acting on behalf of the Company. Therefore, all employees and suppliers are responsible for reporting to the Compliance team/ Management on possible violation of such policies. Failure of employees to observe the terms of the Ethics policy or any of the supporting HEDLEY’S TEA policies may constitute a breach of conduct which may give rise to disciplinary action taken against an employee.
The following ways can be utilized to report a possible violation of law or Company policies, which may be done orally or in written form:
If an employee is not comfortable in reporting a suspected noncompliance to his/her manager or feels noncompliance has not been satisfactorily addressed by his/her manager, the employee can approach the Compliance team and request anonymity. Such anonymous complaints can be passed on to the Management at the monthly employee forum or by post to the CEO.
Investigation and Corrective Actions
After a complaint has been made, the Compliance officer will investigate the complaint promptly and discreetly with appropriate expertise in the noncompliance field. The information from the report is shared with the relevant department head/ CEO with recommendation for corrective action. In case of an open complaint, the employee is notified of the investigation and corrective actions performed.
HEDLEY’S TEA prohibits retaliation against anyone who raises a noncompliance concern or cooperates in a Company investigation. Complaints made in good faith will not expose an employee to any sanctions, regardless of whether the underlying facts prove to be correct, incorrect, or result in any corrective action. If an employee feels they have faced retaliation of any kind, they are encouraged to approach either the Compliance team or any Senior Management who is competent to investigate this immediately.
Acceptance and personal responsibility
All employees must be guided by a desire to do what is right and consider HEDLEY’S TEA values and guiding principles and as strong personal sense of right and wrong. By doing so we will thrive as a high integrity company.
All dealings involving the Company are to be made in proper accordance with the rules of the Company and the applicable laws. The following can be contacted if an employee is presented with a dilemma of any sort and requires clarification, guidance or assistance:
| Document Number | 100091 |
| Policy Ratified Date | 2018-03-11 |
| Version | 1 |