Supplier Code of Conduct

Introduction

FISINO is a company who connects prime manufacturers & global buyers in food and feed industry, and build transparent trilateral integrated cooperation. As an international business with suppliers and representatives throughout the world, FISINO accepts that we have an important role to play in trading responsibly with honesty and integrity at all times.

We therefore must ensure that those organizations with whom we interact, including our suppliers and their representatives, live up to our values and standards and share this responsibility. Our use of the term “suppliers” not only refers to our suppliers of raw materials, goods, and services, but also contractors, consultants, agents, distributors, and all other third parties within FISINO supply chains.

This revision of our Supplier Code of Conduct provides further guidance regarding FISINO supplier requirements and expectations and also highlights how suppliers can achieve preferred status and access to increased business with FISINO. 

Overview

The Code reflects FISINO’s values and sets forth what is required and expected of its Suppliers with respect to the following topics:

1. Ethics and integrity

2. Health and safety, and human rights

3. Environmental sustainability

4. Quality management

5. Compliance

Supplier Code of Conduct

1. Ethics and integrity

FISINO is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards and complying with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations. FISINO requires Suppliers to do the same, and at a minimum, to adhere to the following:

Bribery and Corruption

Suppliers shall adhere to the highest standards of ethical requirements to prohibit bribery and corruption. The offering, paying, soliciting or acceptance of bribes including facilitation payments is strictly prohibited. At a minimum, suppliers and their representatives must comply with the standards outlined in the UK Bribery Act of 2010 and the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (FCPA), as applicable.

• Bribes 

A bribe may involve giving or offering any form of gift, consideration, reward, hospitality, kickbacks, favors, gratuities, or any other advantage to someone in business or government to obtain or retain a commercial advantage.

• Facilitation Payments 

Facilitation payments are payments or fees requested by government officials to speed up or facilitate the performance of routine government action.

• Corruption 

There will be no engagement in commercial espionage, covert surveillance of competitors, or other activities that would lead to an unfair competitive advantage or breach of anti-trust legislation.

Tax Evasion

Suppliers, who perform services for or on behalf of FISINO must comply with the local laws or regulations including implementing reasonable procedures for the prevention of the facilitation of tax evasion.

Conflict of Interest

Supplier must avoid conflicts of interest that may influence business relationships.

Fair Competition

Suppliers will conduct their business in line with fair competition and in accordance with all applicable anti-trust laws.

Intellectual Property

Suppliers shall respect the intellectual property rights of FISINO and others, making sure no counterfeit products enter the supply chain. Secure and protect all confidential information provided by FISINO and our respective business partners.

Privacy

Suppliers shall commit to protecting the reasonable privacy expectations of personal information of everyone they do business with, including suppliers, customers, consumers and employees. Suppliers shall comply with privacy and information security laws and regulatory requirements when personal information is collected, stored, processed, transmitted, and shared.

Confidentiality

The confidentiality of information exchanged during business must be respected and shall not be used for questionable purposes or for individual gain. False information must not  be provided during commercial negotiations.

Animal Welfare

Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research and in vivo testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments that seek to control the variables that affect the behaviour or biological system under study.

Suppliers should not undertake or commission the use of vertebrate animals in determining safety or toxicological data for FISINO supplied raw materials except where there is a regulatory requirement, and no alternative methods exist.

2. Health and Safety, and Human Rights

We are committed to protecting the safety and health of our employees, our contractors, our customers, and the communities where we operate. Similarly, we expect our suppliers to provide a safe and healthy workplace for their employees and contractors in compliance with all applicable regulations and laws, and to integrate quality management systems into their business processes.

Health and Safety

Suppliers must manage the working environment to ensure safe and hygienic working conditions, while continuously striving to eliminate accidents and injury to health.

• Working Conditions - A safe and hygienic working environment shall be provided with access to clean toilet facilities and potable water.

• Employee Training - Policies and Procedures regarding the prevention of ill health and injury must be implemented through the training of all employees to a level relevant to their role. Worker training shall be regular and recorded.

•Performance Monitoring - Health and safety performance shall be continually measured, and systems must be in place to manage and mitigate risk.

Product Safety

Suppliers must comply with product safety regulations, label products properly and communicate product-handling requirements. They shall provide to relevant parties the applicable documentation containing all necessary safety-relevant information for all hazardous substances in case of a legitimate need. This includes product information, safety data sheets, notification or registration confirmations, uses and exposure scenarios. Suppliers proactively and transparently share information about the health, safety, and environmental aspects of their products with all relevant parties.

Human Rights

Suppliers must adopt policies that are consistent with the International Labour Organization (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, the UK Modern Slavery laws, and similar local laws. Such policies include:

• No Discrimination 

There must be no discrimination in hiring, compensation, access to  training, promotion, termination , or retirement based on race, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation.

• Child Labour Shall Not be Used 

There shall be no recruitment or use of child labour.

• Employment is Freely Chosen 

There shall be no forced or compulsory labour in any form, including bonded, trafficked or prison labour. Workers are free to leave work and  terminate their employment upon reasonable notice without penalty and employers must not retain any personal identification, travel documents or wages as conditions of employment.

• No Harsh or Inhumane Treatment is Allowed

Physical abuse or discipline, the threat of physical abuse, sexual or other harassment and verbal abuse or other forms of intimidation are prohibited.

• Living Wages are Paid

Wages and benefits paid for a standard working week must meet national legal standards or industry benchmark standards. In any event wages should be enough to meet basic needs and to provide some discretionary income. All workers shall be provided with written and understandable information about employment conditions in respect to wages before they enter employment.

• Working Hours are Not Excessive 

Working hours must comply with national laws and benchmark industry standards, whichever affords greater protection.

• Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining 

Workers have the right to join or form trade unions of their own choosing and to bargain collectively.

3. Environmental Sustainability

We require our suppliers to share our commitment to mitigate climate change, protect the environment and biodiversity, and preserve resources.

Environmental Permits and Reporting

All required environmental permits (e.g. discharge monitoring), approvals and registrations shall be obtained, maintained and kept current and their operational and reporting requirements shall be followed.

Pollution Prevention and Resource Reduction Conservation

Emissions and discharges of pollutants and generation of waste shall be minimized or eliminated at the source or by practices such as adding pollution control equipment; modifying production, maintenance and facility processes; or by other means. The use of natural resources, including water, fossil fuels, minerals and virgin forest products, shall be conserved by practices such as modifying production, maintenance and facility processes, materials substitution, re-use, conservation, recycling or other means.

Hazardous Substances

Chemicals, waste and other materials posing a hazard to humans or the environment shall be identified, labelled and managed on the principle of avoiding and reducing their use. Suppliers shall ensure their safe handling, movement, storage, use, recycling or reuse and disposal. Hazardous waste data shall be tracked and documented.

Air Emissions

Air emissions of volatile organic chemicals, aerosols, corrosives, particulates, ozone depleting substances, and combustion by-products generated from operations shall be characterized, routinely monitored, controlled and treated as required prior to discharge. Ozone-depleting substances shall be effectively managed in accordance with the Montreal Protocol and applicable regulations. Supplier shall conduct routine monitoring of the performance of its air emission control systems.

Materials Restrictions

Suppliers shall adhere to all applicable laws, regulations and customer requirements regarding prohibition or restriction of specific substances in products and manufacturing, including labeling for recycling and disposal.

Water Management

Supplier shall implement a water management program that documents, characterizes, and monitors water sources, use and discharge; seeks opportunities to conserve water; and controls channels of contamination. All wastewater shall be characterized, monitored, controlled, and treated as required prior to discharge or disposal. Supplier shall conduct routine monitoring of the performance of its wastewater treatment and containment systems to ensure optimal performance and regulatory compliance. Suppliers shall assess the risks of water shortage and floods in the place of operation, promote water conservation and water recycling measures, and prepare for and train in emergency response to water shortages and floods to increase climate resilience.

Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Suppliers shall and report against an absolute corporate-wide greenhouse gas reduction goal. Energy consumption and all relevant Scopes 1, 2 and significant categories of Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions shall be tracked and documented, and reported against the greenhouse gas reduction goal. Suppliers shall look for methods to improve energy efficiency and to minimize their energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Biodiversity

Suppliers shall abide by relevant laws and regulations on biodiversity conservation, avoid operations affecting important habitats, and participate in actions for the conservation of natural ecosystems.

4. Quality Management

Suppliers shall meet generally recognized quality standards and contractually agreed quality requirements and standards, in order to provide goods and services that consistently meet FISINO’s and its customers’ needs, perform as warranted and are safe and effective for their intended use. Suppliers shall immediately address all major issues that have the potential to negatively affect the quality of goods and services. Suppliers must inform FISINO about changes of the manufacturing or supply process that have the potential to impact the specification of goods and services provided.

Suppliers of raw materials, packaging, or contract manufacturing services are required to implement quality management systems (“QMS”) and quality programs at their producing and distribution sites. The QMS and quality programs must conform with the quality requirements of FISINO. Suppliers may be required to obtain certification of its QMS to the latest ISO 9001 revision by an accredited third-party certification body.

5. Compliance

FISINO requires our suppliers to abide by all applicable local, regional, and international laws, regulations, and standards in the markets where they operate. Where local laws or standards differ from this Supplier Code of Conduct, we expect suppliers to comply with the more stringent standards and principles.

Audit and Termination of Agreements

FISINO will seek assurance that its suppliers adhere to the principles of this Supplier Code of Conduct and that they take responsibility to ensure compliance within their own supply chains.

•Assessments & Audits 

FISINO reserves the rights to verify supplier and representative compliance with this Supplier Code of Conduct.  

• Remediation -

Where assessments or audits demonstrate shortcomings in any areas, the supplier and  representatives  must  communicate and  implement a time-bound programme of improvement leading to conformance.

•Termination 

In the event that a supplier or representative fails to meet the requirements of this Supplier Code of Conduct and there are no actions made toward remediation, FISINO reserves the right to terminate the supplier agreement and take other actions as outlined by law or contractual language.