Code of conduct
Dear employees
Welcome to our Code of Conduct. This document is far more than just a set of rules and guidelines. At the heart of this Codex are our shared values and beliefs, which form the foundation of our cooperation within Hoval, and with our customers, partners and society.
Our Hoval values - family-spirited, technology-enthused, solution-focused and responsible - plus our commitment to teamwork, trust and honesty are the pillars that make our company successful. A central aspect of our values is responsibility, including responsibility towards employees, business partners and society.
Another part of our responsibility is to comply with applicable laws and our principles at all times and in all places, to respect ethical values and to act sustainably. We have written this Code of Conduct to ensure that each of us understands and assumes this responsibility. It serves as a guide for and applies to all of us employees in the Hoval Group. The Code defines legal and ethical principles that we, as the Hoval Group, are committed to complying with. It is a guide to our behavior and our decisions, both within Hoval and in external relationships, because together we all bear responsibility for Hoval's reputation.
We ask you, dear employees, to read this Code of Conduct carefully and to use it together with us as a guideline for our daily actions.
Hoval Group Management
Fabian Frick Peter Gerner Remo Bretscher
Note: "The masculine designations used below in this letter apply equally to women and men and are used solely to improve readability."
Behavior in the business environment
Compliance with laws and regulations
Compliance with national and international laws, legal regulations and corporate guidelines of the Hoval Group is the basic principle of our responsible business conduct. We are committed to complying with all applicable legal prohibitions and obligations at any time, even if this may entail economic disadvantages or challenges for Hoval or individuals. Our actions must always be guided by the principle of not violating legal requirements.
Avoidance of conflicts of interest
Our obligation is to always act in the interests of Hoval and independently of personal, family or other ties, both in our day-to-day work and when making business decisions. Our own position at Hoval must not be abused for personal gain. Conflicts of interest with private concerns, economic or other activities, including those of related persons and organizations, should be avoided from the outset. If they do occur, the line manager or compliance officer must be informed immediately in order to find a transparent solution together.
Fair competition and anti-corruption
Hoval places great value on good business relationships and stands for transparency, open communication, integrity and motivated, responsible employees. This is the basis of our reputation and customer trust, as well as our economic success in global competition. Our business activities must always comply with local regulations. Any violations of antitrust law, competition regulations or corruption laws are unacceptable to us. Bribes or cartel agreements are not a means for us to obtain orders.
We undertake not to make any inappropriate contributions to public officials, persons in the private sector, politically exposed persons or political parties in order to obtain unlawful advantages or preferential treatment. This also includes the acceleration of official processes. We also refuse to accept any benefits that could give the impression of unduly influencing business relationships or decisions, or that could be used as a quid pro quo for preferential treatment of third parties.
Prevention of money laundering
We comply with the applicable regulations on the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing and do not participate in the financing of illegal activities. We comply with our legal obligations to prevent money laundering.
Our employees are required to be vigilant in the event of payment irregularities, in particular including cash payments, or other suspicious behavior by customers and partners, and to report any cases of suspicion.
Trade restrictions and boycotts
Hoval is active in various markets worldwide and is subject to different legal systems. In accordance with our business policy, we are committed to complying with all relevant export and import laws, including recognized trade sanctions and embargos. Whether a product, service or technology can be exported from one country to another depends on many factors, including the nature of the item, its country of origin, its use and the end user. Sanctions and embargoes restrict transactions with certain countries, designated individuals and entities, and for certain end uses. We therefore observe these restrictions and obtain all necessary documents before we carry out a transaction or export our goods.
Safety and legal compliance of our products
We develop and produce safe and flawless products and comply with the laws and technical regulations for our products. Our products must not have any defects or properties that could affect the health of our customers in any way.
Behavior at Hoval
Equal treatment and non-discrimination
A family culture based on equal opportunities, appreciation and mutual trust and respect is of great importance to us. We promote equal rights and prevent harassment and discrimination in all areas. We treat all employees equally and protect their personal integrity, privacy and personal rights, regardless of gender, age, skin color, ethnic and national origin, sexual identity, ideology, disability or religion.
Diversity and inclusion
We are convinced that the diversity of our workforce represents great added value for Hoval. It brings new ideas, different perspectives and diverse experiences into a family atmosphere that promotes our values. By diversity, we mean a workforce that encompasses a range of cultures, generations, genders, ethnicities, nationalities, abilities, social backgrounds and all the other special characteristics that make us stand out as individuals.
For us, inclusion means creating a working environment in which everyone can actively contribute to the success of the business and in which the individual skills, experiences and perspectives of all employees are valued and respected.
Human and employee rights
We stand up for compliance with internationally recognized human rights. We refuse to do business with suppliers and customers who engage in human rights abuses such as human trafficking, physical punishment, violence, discrimination or illegal overtime regulations. Furthermore, we strictly reject any form of forced or child labor and also demand that our suppliers and customers do the same. The right of all employees to fair compensation is recognized. Both remuneration and other benefits must at least meet the respective national and local legal requirements as well as the standards of the respective economic sectors and regions.
Work and health protection
Hoval is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for our employees, business partners and guests worldwide. This includes compliance with labor laws, ensuring legally sound employment contracts and conditions, and the rejection of drug and substance abuse. Employees and business partners must be familiar with our internal guidelines in order to minimize risks in the workplace within our facilities and when working with our customers.
The safety and health of our employees are just as important as product quality and the economic success of Hoval. These principles are an integral part of all operational processes and are taken into account from the planning phase onwards. Every employee contributes to safety and health protection and follows the corresponding regulations. Managers are obliged to train and support their teams in this regard. The same safety standards also apply to employees of subcontractors who work on behalf of Hoval.
Behavior within society
Environmental protection
Responsibility for energy and environment has a long tradition at our company and is a high priority in our thoughts and actions.
Indoor climate and global climate are interrelated. We assume the resulting responsibility and develop and produce indoor climate solutions that protect the environment thanks to innovative technologies. Energy efficiency, the promotion of renewable energies, minimization of emissions, durability and the use of environmentally friendly and recyclable materials are at the foreground of our efforts.
We strive to reduce the environmental footprint of our business activities by continuously reducing our consumption of energy and raw materials, waste, water consumption and emissions. As a responsible company, we are strongly committed to leaving an intact ecological fabric for future generations. We comply with the applicable environmental laws and regulations. We encourage our employees to become aware of their personal environmental footprint and support corresponding initiatives.
Social commitment and donations
Hoval sees itself as an active member of society and is involved in various ways. Our donations or other forms of social commitment are made exclusively in the interests of the common good.
Donations must be made ethically and with integrity. No financial contributions are made to political parties or groups anywhere in the world. Under no circumstances are funds used for activities that violate applicable law or internal regulations.
Handling of data, information, information systems and social media
Data protection
Hoval is committed to taking all necessary measures to ensure the protection of personal data of our employees, customers and partners. A data protection violation can have significant consequences for Hoval and damage its reputation and thus trust in Hoval. Therefore, personal data must be handled with the utmost care and consideration.
Access to personal data may only be granted to authorized persons. Personal data may only be collected, processed or used if there is a legal basis for this or if the person concerned has given their explicit consent.
As the digitalization of our products and services progresses, we attach great importance to integrating data protection and information security into the design and development phase of our projects right from the start. This follows the principle of "privacy by design" and ensures that we not only comply with legal requirements, but also embed them in our business processes.
Confidential information / company secrets
All information that employees receive in connection with their work must always be regarded as internal or confidential.
This confidential information and trade secrets are very important, must be protected and safeguarded at all times and may not be misused or disclosed for personal gain or in any other way.
A strict duty of confidentiality applies. This applies in particular to business and marketing strategies, technical expertise about products, systems and production processes, customer data as well as operational and financial information.
This does not apply to certain information that has been published by Hoval or can be viewed in publicly accessible documents or is required in the sales process.
We also respect the confidential information and trade secrets of others.
Information systems and social media
The technical resources provided by Hoval, such as IT systems, e-mail accounts and other communication media, are intended exclusively for the designated, lawful and ethical use and may not be misused or used for unethical purposes.
Viewing, downloading or sharing offensive, criminal or inappropriate content is strictly prohibited.
Social media allows us to share information quickly, widely and comprehensively. It is important to be aware at all times of the impact that sharing images and texts about Hoval, the workplace or colleagues can have. Careless posts or hasty publications can have unforeseen consequences, including reputational damage for employees and Hoval. This is to be avoided.
Financial integrity
We ensure that business transactions are carefully and fully documented, thus guaranteeing that the financial documents and accounting records are in line with the legal and Hoval accounting standards and that they truthfully describe the results of business activities.
We never engage in fraudulent or other illegal activities.
Protection of company property
We handle Hoval's property and assets with care and use them exclusively for company and not for personal purposes, unless expressly authorized to do so.
We protect property from loss, damage, misuse, theft, fraud and other forms of interference. This applies to both tangible and intangible assets.
Hoval's intellectual property is a valuable asset for us and a decisive competitive advantage, which we consistently protect against unauthorized access by third parties.
We use our resources properly and carefully.
Scope / implementation
This Code of Conduct is binding for all employees at Hoval, including the Board of Directors, the Group Management and all management levels, regardless of position or place of work. It also applies to external partners such as suppliers, consultants, sales partners and other business partners who work on our behalf or in cooperation with us.
Each individual company within the group is responsible for implementing the code and ensuring that compliance with the guidelines and agreements does not result in any disadvantage for employees.
Our managers have a particular responsibility to set an example in their actions. They are the first point of contact for questions about understanding the regulations and ensure that all employees know and understand the Code of Conduct. In the event of unacceptable behavior, they take appropriate measures to prevent violations in their areas of responsibility.
All employees are obliged to comply with this code and ensure that their behavior is in accordance with the law and the code of conduct, guidelines and directives of Hoval.
Notification and point of contact
We ask all employees to report any suspicious behavior, activities or violations of legal provisions, laws or guidelines. Any violations should be reported directly to the compliance e-mail address compliance@hoval.com. This can also be done confidentially. If no e-mail address is available, it is possible to contact the compliance officer of the respective location by telephone.
Hoval assures all employees that the person providing the information and the report will be treated confidentially and that the report will be followed up. Unauthorized third parties have no access to the reporting channels used. The person providing the information will receive confirmation of receipt after 7 working days and, three months after confirmation of receipt of the report, feedback on whether and, if applicable, which measures have been taken as a result of the report.
Violations of the Code of Conduct will not be tolerated in order to protect Hoval and its employees. Non-compliance may result in disciplinary measures up to and including termination of employment, as well as civil and criminal proceedings.
We would like to thank you, our employees, for your valuable support and for complying with the Code of Conduct on a daily basis.
Validity 03.06.2024