It is illegal to offer, promise, give, request, agree, receive or accept bribes. Our approach is to follow the UK legal regulations under The Bribery Act 2010. 

Policy

The purpose of this policy is to establish controls to ensure compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and corruption regulations, and to ensure that the Company’s business is conducted in a socially responsible manner.

Policy Statement

Bribery is the offering, promising, giving, accepting or soliciting of an advantage as an inducement for action which is illegal or a breach of trust. A bribe is an inducement or reward offered, promised or provided in order to gain any commercial, contractual, regulatory or personal advantage.
It is our policy to conduct all of our business in an honest and ethical manner. 

We take a zero- tolerance approach to bribery and corruption. We are committed to acting professionally, fairly and with integrity in all our business dealings and relationships wherever we operate and implementing and enforcing effective systems to counter bribery.

We will uphold all laws relevant to countering bribery and corruption in all the jurisdictions in which we operate. However, we remain bound by the laws in Australia in respect of our conduct both at home and abroad.

Bribery and corruption are punishable under UK law and therefore take our legal responsibilities very seriously. In addition, we hold our integrity dear, and we do not want to behave in an improper way.

 

Scope

1. Who is covered by the policy?

In this policy, third party means any individual or organisation you come into contact with during the course of your work for us, and includes actual and potential clients, customers, suppliers, distributors, business contacts, agents, advisers, and government and public bodies, including their advisors,
representatives and officials, politicians and political parties.

This policy applies to all individuals working at all levels and grades, including senior managers, officers, directors, employees (whether permanent, fixed-term or temporary), consultants, contractors, trainees, seconded staff, homeworkers, casual workers and agency staff, volunteers, interns, agents, sponsors, or any other person associated with us, or any of our subsidiaries or their employees, wherever located (collectively referred to as employees in this policy).

This policy covers:

  • Bribes;
  • Gifts and hospitality;
  • Facilitation payments;
  • Political contributions;
  • Charitable contributions.

3.2 Bribes

Employees must not engage in any form of bribery, either directly or through any third party (such as an agent or distributor). Specifically, employees must not bribe a foreign public official anywhere in the world.

3.3 Gifts and hospitality
Employees must not offer or give any gift or hospitality:

  • which could be regarded as illegal or improper, or which violates the recipient’s policies; or
  • to any public employee or government officials or representatives, or politicians or political parties; or
  • which exceeds $100 in value for  each individual gift or  $500 in value for  each hospitality event (not to exceed a total value of $1000 in any financial year), unless approved in writing by the employee’s manager.

Employees may not accept any gift or hospitality from our business partners if:

  • it exceeds $100 in value for each individual gift or $500 in value for each hospitality event (not to exceed a total of $1000 in any financial year), unless approved in writing by the employee’s manager; or
  • it is in cash;
  • there is any suggestion that a return favour will be expected or implied.

Where a manager’s approval is required above, if the manager is below Director level then approval must be sought from an appropriate Director.

If it is not appropriate to decline the offer of a gift, the gift may be accepted, provided it is then declared to the employee’s manager and donated to charity.

We appreciate that the practice of giving business gifts varies between countries and regions and what may be normal and acceptable in one region may not be in another. The test to be applied is whether in all the circumstances the gift or hospitality is reasonable and justifiable. The intention behind the gift should always be considered.

Within these parameters, local management may define specific guidelines and policies to reflect local professional and industry standards. Where this policy requires written approval to be given, the Company Secretary shall put in place a process to maintain a register of all such approvals.

3.4 Facilitation payments and kickbacks

Facilitation payments are a form of bribery made for the purpose of expediting or facilitating the performance of a public official for a routine governmental action, and not to obtain or retain business or any improper business advantage. Facilitation payments tend to be demanded by low level officials to obtain a level of service which one would normally be entitled to.

Our strict policy is that facilitation payments must not be paid. We recognise, however, that our employees may be faced with situations where there is a risk to the personal security of an employee or his/her family and where a facilitation payment is unavoidable, in which case the following steps must be taken:

  • Keep any amount to the minimum;
  • Create a record concerning the payment; and
  • Report it to your line manager.

In order to achieve our aim of not making any facilitation payments, each business of the Company will keep a record of all payments made, which must be reported to the Company Secretary, in order to evaluate the business risk and to develop a strategy to minimise such payments in the future.

3.5 Political Contributions

We do not make donations, whether in cash or kind, in support of any political parties or candidates, as this can be perceived as an attempt to gain an improper business advantage.

3.6 Charitable contributions

Charitable support and donations are acceptable (and indeed are encouraged), whether of in-kind services, knowledge, time, or direct financial contributions. However, employees must be careful to ensure that charitable contributions are not used as a scheme to conceal bribery. We only make charitable donations that are legal and ethical under local laws and practices]. No donation must be offered or made without the prior approval of [the compliance manager. All charitable contributions should be publicly disclosed.

4. Your Responsibilities as a Team Member

You must ensure that you read, understand and comply with this policy. The prevention, detection and reporting of bribery and other forms of corruption are the responsibility of all those working for us or under our control. All employees are required to avoid any activity that might lead to, or suggest, a breach of this policy.

You must notify your manager OR the Company Secretary or the confidential helpline as soon as possible if you believe or suspect that a conflict with or breach of this policy has occurred, or may occur in the future.

Any employee who breaches this policy will face disciplinary action, which could result in dismissal for gross misconduct. We reserve our right to terminate our contractual relationship with other workers if they breach this policy.

The Company Director has overall responsibility for ensuring this policy complies with our legal and ethical obligations, and that all those under our control comply with it.

The Company Secretary has primary and day-to-day responsibility for implementing this policy, and for monitoring its use and effectiveness and dealing with any queries on its interpretation. Management at all levels are responsible for ensuring those reporting to them are made aware of and understand this policy and are given adequate and regular training on it.