This Vendor Code of Conduct applies globally to any and all vendors that conducts business with ServiceChannel.com, Inc. or any of its subsidiaries (“ServiceChannel”). Vendors must be committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct when dealing with employees, suppliers and customers. ServiceChannel may take measures to ensure compliance and address potential instances of non-compliance with this Vendor Code of Conduct, including the right to terminate its business relationship with the Vendor and to proceed to secure any and all other rights and remedies available to it. ServiceChannel reserves the rights to reasonably change the requirements of the Vendor Code of Conduct and, in such an event, expects the vendor to accept such reasonable changes.
COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND REGULATION
- Legal requirements: Vendors must fully comply with all applicable local, national and internal laws in the conduct of their business. Vendors must comply with the standards of this Vendor Code of Conduct even when this Vendor Code of Conduct exceeds the requirements of applicable law.
- Conflicts of Interest: Vendors shall not engage in any act that will create a real or perceived conflict of interest within the scope of their business relationship with ServiceChannel.
- Anti-Corruption: Vendors are expected to respect all applicable laws, including the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the United Kingdom Bribery Act, concerning corruption and to take appropriate measures to prevent, detect and sanction any corruption or trading in influence, directly or indirectly, across the scope of their activities whether in dealings with public officials or individuals in the private sectors.
- Gifts and Bribery: Vendors are prohibited from giving or accepting gifts or entertainment exceeding nominal value to or from any ServiceChannel employee, agent, contractor, and each of their immediate family members. Gifts may be considered acceptable if given openly and transparently, permitted under applicable local law, customary in the location in which they would be given, provided to reflect esteem or gratitude, and not offered with an expectation that something will be offered in return. The following types of gifts may never be offered, regardless of value: cash or cash equivalents (i.e. gift cards); any gifts that are or could be illegal; any gifts or entertainment (including meals and travel accommodations) offered in connection with an inspection, audit, during an RFP involving a vendor, or to a ServiceChannel agent or consultant working on behalf of ServiceChannel.
- Money-Laundering: Money-laudering is the process of concealing the origins of money obtained illegally. Vendors shall implement all appropriate measures to prohibit their operations from being used to money-lauder.
- Records Transparency: Vendors must maintain integrity, transparency and accuracy in all records of matters relating to their business with ServiceChannel. This will include methods and resources used, production sites or services supplied.
- Customs: Vendors are required to comply with applicable customs laws, including those relating to imports of products to the importing country.
- Trade Restrictions and International Sanctions: Vendors must respect international trade restrictions and sanctions along with any and all laws and regulations concerning export controls.
- Environment: Vendors must comply and respect applicable national and local environmental laws as to air emissions, waste handling and disposal, water use, wastewater discharges and hazardous and toxic substances. ServiceChannel encourages its vendors to reduce environmental impact of their activities. Vendors shall also validate and maintain records demonstrating that source materials were harvested in accordance with internal treaties in addition to national and local laws.
LABOR STANDARDS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Forced Labor: Vendors shall not use any form of forced, bonded, indentured, trafficked, slave or prison labor. Workers shall not be required to pay recruitment, hiring or other similar fees related to their employment, vendors must bear or reimburse to their workers the cost of any such fees. All workers are entitled to accept or leave their employment freely with reasonable notice. All workers must not be required to surrender any government-issued identification, passports or work permits as a condition of employment. Vendors will be responsible to provide workers with clear, understandable contracts regarding the terms and conditions of their engagement in a language understood by the work.
- Child Labor: ServiceChannel does not tolerate the use of child labor. Vendors must engage workers whose age is the greater of (i) 16; (ii) the age of completion of compulsory education, or (iii) the minimum age to work in the country where work is performed.
- Health and Safety: Vendors are expected to provide workers with a safe and healthy work environment, at a minimum, comply with applicable laws regarding working conditions, provide all workers with appropriate personal protective equipment and training.
- Working Hours: Vendors must comply with all local laws and regulations applicable with respect to working hours, which shall not in any case exceed the maximum set by internationally recognized standards. Workers shall be compensated for overtime hours at the premium rate required by applicable laws and regulations. However, vendors may not impose excessive overtime hours.
- Compensation and Benefits: Vendors must pay all workers at least the minimum wage, including overtime pay and benefits, required by applicable laws and regulations. Deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure are not permitted.
- Freedom of Association: Vendors will respect and recognize the rights of workers to establish and join a legal organization of their own selection. Workers will not be penalized or subjected to harassment or intimidation for the non-violent exercise of their right to join such legal organization.
- Anti-discrimination: Vendors are required to treat all workers in a fair and equal manner and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, political opinion, pregnancy, marital or family status, or similar factors in hiring and working practices such as job applications, promotions, job assignments, training, wages, and termination.
- Anti-harassment and abuse: Vendors will not engage in or permit physical, verbal or psychological abuse or coercion, including threats of violence, sexual harassment, or unreasonable restrictions.
- Immigration Compliance: All vendors are required to comply with all applicable regulations to prevent illegal and undeclared employment. If Vendors engage foreign or migrant workers, such workers must be engaged in full compliance with the immigration and labor laws of the host country.
BUSINESS INTEGRITY
- Confidentiality and Intellectual Property: All vendors and their representatives are expected to take the necessary measures to guarantee the confidentiality of intellectual property, professional secrets and other non-public information they receive in the course of their business with ServiceChannel. Vendor shall not use stolen or misappropriated technology or information.
- Conflict Minerals: The term “Conflict Minerals” are tantalum, tin, tungsten and gold. Vendors shall not provide products to ServiceChannel that contain Conflict Minerals sourced rom the Democratic Republic of the Congo or an adjoining country.
- Personal Information: ServiceChannel requires vendors to comply with applicable laws and regulations concerning the protection of personal information that is may receive pertaining to ServiceChannel employees, customers or agents.
- Subcontractors: Vendors that are permitted to subcontract their services in accordance with the terms of its agreement with ServiceChannel must be require its subcontractors to comply with this Vendor Code of Conduct. Vendors must remain responsible for ensuring that their subcontractors comply with this Vendor Code of Conduct.