Code of ethics

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Object

The purpose of the INQUIBA Code of Ethics is to establish the guidelines that must govern the ethical behavior of all its owners, shareholders and employees in their daily performance, as well as with regard to the relationships and interactions that it maintains with all its stakeholders. 

This Code of Ethics is based on the definition of INQUIBA’s Mission, Vision, Values ​​and Principles, which it complements, and constitutes an action guide to ensure adequate behavior in the professional performance of its employees, in accordance with both the requirements legal systems of the country where INQUIBA carries out its activities as with the established Regulatory System, respecting the values ​​of their respective cultures. 

INQUIBA’s Code of Ethics reflects the principle of due diligence applied by the organization for the prevention, detection and eradication of irregularities related to breaches of the Code and established internal regulations, including those that refer to criminal offenses. 

1.2. Area of ​​application

INQUIBA’s Code of Ethics is addressed to all members of the organization itself, as well as to the rest of the interest groups over which the organization has influence.

The conduct guidelines contained in this Code are mandatory and affect all activities carried out by the organization.

On the other hand, INQUIBA will promote and encourage among its suppliers and collaborating companies the adoption of behavior guidelines consistent with those defined in this Code of Ethics.

INQUIBA’s Management will use all the means within its reach to disseminate the Mission, Vision, Values ​​and Principles of INQUIBA, and enforce the conduct guidelines contained in this Code. They will also be a benchmark in their behavior and level of compliance with the Code.

2. INQUIRY IDENTITY

Mission: Satisfy the needs of the number one, in cleaning and care products, both personal and home, being the best and adapting to our clients in a proactive and competitive way.

Vision: INQUIBA’s vision is to be the leading company in southern Europe, which is recognized by our pillars as the one that best meets your needs.

Values: Commitment, honesty and transparency, innovation, excellence, experience and Quality.

3. PRINCIPLES OF CONDUCT IN INQUIBA

INQUIBA considers that the trust of its stakeholders, as well as the social environment in which it operates, is based on the integrity and responsibility in the professional performance of each of its members of the organization.

Integrity is understood as ethical, honest and good faith performance.

Professional responsibility is understood as proactive, efficient action focused on excellence, quality and the will to serve.

INQUIBA expects from all its members an upright and responsible behavior in the performance of their duties.

Likewise, INQUIBA also expects all its external stakeholders to behave in accordance with these principles.

All the members of INQUIBA can consult any doubt about the interpretation of the conduct guidelines that appear in this Code and must report, in good faith and without fear of retaliation, of any breach of the Code guidelines that they observe in their professional performance to the responsible for CSR or in the suggestion box installed in the filling halls.

Communications made to Management will be treated confidentially and in accordance with the provisions of the Organic Law on Data Protection.

4. PRINCIPLES OF THE CODE OF ETHICS

The Code of Ethics determines specific guidelines for action in the following content areas:

4.1. OWNERS AND SHAREHOLDERS

* Effectiveness and efficiency of management

INQUIBA carries out an effective and efficient management in order to maximize profit in a sustainable way.

The INQUIBA Directorate has established a General Management Systems Policy in which the commitment to achieve the effectiveness and efficiency of CSR management is demonstrated.

* Governance of the organization

INQUIBA ensures that the people who govern the organization perform their functions under the commitments and values ​​of honesty, rigor and loyalty towards the interests of the owners, shareholders and investors in a manner consistent with the interests of the rest of the significant interest groups.

The government will ensure that all this is integrated into our CSR Management System.

* Information transparency

INQUIBA carries out its activity under the prism of an ethical behavior based on integrity, objectivity and a correct use of information, always in search of the highest standards of information transparency both for its internal and external audiences.

* Right of representation

INQUIBA guarantees, in an agile and efficient way, the rights representation and ensures that such mechanisms are used in good faith and always in defense of the corporate purpose of the organization.

4.2. EMPLOYEES

* Equal opportunities and Non-discrimination

INQUIBA does not tolerate any type of discrimination based on gender, race, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, political opinions, nationality, social origin, disability or any other circumstance likely to be a source of discrimination, as well as equal opportunities between them.

INQUIBA rejects any manifestation of violence, physical, sexual, psychological, moral or other harassment, abuse of authority at work and any other conduct that creates an intimidating or offensive environment for the personal rights of its professionals.

In addition, INQUIBA supports and is committed to the application of public policies established to promote greater equality of opportunities and non-discrimination and to promote a corporate culture based on merit.

* Right to privacy

INQUIBA respects the right to privacy of its professionals, in all its manifestations, and especially with regard to personal, medical and economic data.

INQUIBA guarantees and undertakes not to disclose personal data of its professionals, except with the consent of the interested parties and in cases of legal obligation or compliance with judicial or administrative decisions. In no case may the personal data of professionals be processed for purposes other than those legally or contractually foreseen.

* Forced labor and child labor

INQUIBA is committed to the respect and protection of basic labor rights, and of human rights and public freedoms recognized in the universal declaration of human rights, that is why it does not directly or indirectly employ child labor or people who perform forced labor.

* Health and security

INQUIBA encourages the adoption of occupational health and safety policies and adopts the preventive measures established in the current legislation of each country, and ensures regulatory compliance in this matter at all times. Likewise, it promotes and encourages the application of its occupational health and safety standards and policies by the collaborating companies and suppliers with which it operates.

INQUIBA considers that safety is an individual responsibility and a condition of employment, which is why it will not allow unsafe behavior that could cause serious damage to people and / or facilities.

All employees of the group must know and comply with the rules for the protection of health and safety at work and ensure their own safety, and that of all the people who may be affected by the development of their activities.

INQUIBA provides its employees with the resources and knowledge necessary so that they can carry out their duties safely and in a healthy environment.

* Accessible environments

INQUIBA has designed the work environments and jobs considering universal accessibility criteria, so that they are accessible to the greatest number of people, in order to avoid discrimination based on disability.

* Association

INQUIBA respects the representation of its employees.

* Contract, working conditions and salary

INQUIBA defines a hiring policy in accordance with current legislation, including, in accordance with the same, everything that entitles social protection (health and accident insurance, retirement, unemployment insurance, etc.), which establishes I manifest a commitment to stable and quality employment.

INQUIBA establishes a remuneration policy to satisfy a decent standard of living. Likewise, the organization must maintain the necessary mechanisms to conveniently inform the employee about the salary received and its components, as well as about the modifications that may take place.

The weekly schedule will not exceed the legal limit established by the legislation of each country.

The salary received by INQUIBA employees is in accordance with the content of the position and the level of performance.

Training, employability and professional career.

INQUIBA facilitates its employees the acquisition and updating of knowledge and skills that result in the improvement of their professional future, their productivity and the competitiveness of the organization.

INQUIBA has established a career plan for those professionals with potential. In addition, the organization has established an internship program for young graduates.

Reconciliation of personal, family and work life.

INQUIBA encourages measures aimed at achieving a balance between the family and professional responsibilities of its employees.

* Respect for the dignity of the worker

It is mandatory for all INQUIBA workers to show respect and courtesy towards their partners, year-olds, clients or stakeholders with whom you have or may have some kind of relationship.

4.3. CLIENTS, USERS AND CONSUMERS

* Promotions and advertising

INQUIBA, will ensure that promotions or advertising are respectful of human dignity, health and safety, that they are not misleading, nor do they incite illegal, dangerous or contrary conduct to the principles of sustainability and social responsibility of the organization.

Similarly, in private label products, the organization ensures that they meet our ethical criteria. Likewise, we seek to offer our products honestly and accurately. Employing deceptive or dishonest practices is a violation of our Code of Ethics and our values, and will not be tolerated.

* Contracts

INQUIBA prepares and fulfills the contracts in accordance with the principles of transparency, veracity, trust and good faith. Likewise, it avoids abusive actions derived from possible dominant positions.

INQUIBA complies with the conditions agreed with customers, users and consumers, including delivery activities and those subsequent to it, as well as conditions not expressly agreed with them, but necessary for the specified use or for the intended use, when known.

* Confidentiality and privacy

INQUIBA has established a confidentiality commitment whose objective is to preserve the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the same. The information of INQUIBA is property of the company and is essential for the development of its activity.

* Honesty

The trust placed in INQUIBA by the different stakeholders is based on the transparent, truthful and complete information that the company provides in all areas of its activity.

INQUIBA guarantees that in the relationship with customers, users and consumers, corruption, extortion and bribery practices are excluded and under no circumstances does the organization admit any deceptive, fraudulent or malicious conduct that leads INQUIBA to obtain undue advantages.

*Customer service and after-sales service

INQUIBA establishes one or more procedures for the treatment and resolution, where appropriate, of suggestions, complaints and claims from customers.

In the same way, INQUIBA informs of the existence of this procedure, as well as the way to access them. In the case of clients, it is done through the department. of Quality and in the case of consumers through the client himself, or through the customer service telephone number.

* Goods and services

INQUIBA offers products and services that comply with legal requirements, considering the criteria of quality, safety, respect for the environment and reliability.

4.4. PRODUCT AND SERVICE PROVIDERS, COLLABORATORS AND ALLIES

* Promotion of the principles of social responsibility in the supply chain

INQUIBA has established a series of mechanisms to promote the principles and requirements of social responsibility in its supply chain and pays special attention to direct suppliers in which it has a greater capacity to influence.

Among others, the organization will evaluate its most influential suppliers through a series of ethical criteria established in our purchasing and supplier procedure. Likewise, INQUIBA intends to promote the principles of social responsibility among its most influential suppliers and that is why it has established a series of objectives to achieve it.

INQUIBA strives to promote the practice of the standards of our Code. For this reason, it encourages its suppliers to comply with the stipulations of this Code of Ethics and recommends that they carry out their activities within the framework of current laws.

Formalization and fulfillment of the contract

INQUIBA prepares and fulfills contracts in accordance with the principles of transparency, truthfulness, trust and good faith, and pays special attention to direct suppliers.

INQUIBA – within a framework of confidentiality and respect – seeks to grant suppliers the same opportunities to hire them, without generating false expectations and always keeping congruence and consistency in the supply process. The evaluation of the offers for the selection of suppliers is based on the criteria established by our company.

That is why the organization carries out an evaluation of suppliers in which INQUIBA considers sustainability and social responsibility as basic criteria for the selection of its suppliers in order to promote these practices through the supply chain.

* Confidentiality and privacy

INQUIBA has established a confidentiality commitment whose objective is to preserve the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the same. The information of INQUIBA is property of the company and is essential for the development of its activity.

* Honesty

INQUIBA adopts the appropriate measures to guarantee that ue relationships with suppliers exclude corruption and bribery practices that condition the objectivity and independence of both parties.

4.5. GOVERNMENTS, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATIONS AND REGULATORY BODIES

* Collaborators and transparency

INQUIBA maintains a relationship of transparency and collaboration with the different public administrations and regulatory bodies.

* No interference

INQUIBA refrains from any illegitimate interference in the political sphere. In the case of participation, the organization will clearly and transparently establish the conditions under which its managers and employees may participate in this type of activity.

* Fiscal obligations

INQUIBA complies with its tax obligations in all the territories where it carries out its activities.

* Honesty

INQUIBA rejects any type of act of corruption. All forms of bribery are illegal, highly unethical, and can lead to severe consequences for everyone involved. INQUIBA will investigate any complaint of corruption and will take disciplinary measures and, where appropriate, legal consequences against those involved.

We are committed to conducting our operations in a transparent and comprehensive manner, so all our transactions must comply with anti-corruption laws, including the requirements to maintain complete and accurate accounting books and records.

4.6. COMMUNITY, SOCIETY AND SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS

* Commitment

INQUIBA contributes to the sustainable development of the community and the environment where it operates through its own activities and other additional activities to the extent of its possibilities.

As one more neighbor in the communities where we operate and as part of our social responsibility, at INQUIBA we participate directly – or through recognized organizations – in programs and activities that promote integration, development and improvement in the quality of life of the communities.

* Promotion of local development

INQUIBA improves the environment in which it operates, taking into account local development through policies that promote and enhance local hiring, both of employees at different levels of preparation, as far as possible, and through the use of local suppliers when the type of product / service allows it.

* Investment in the community and in society

The organization promotes and implements initiatives and programs aimed at the community and society with the purpose of improving social issues of community life and contributing to sustainable development.

Similarly, the conduct of INQUIBA staff in your community is expected to reflect the very values ​​that we promote as a company. INQUIBA supports the participation of its people in those activities and / or events that contribute to the development of the community or in associations that promote it, as long as these activities do not interfere with the performance and / or performance of their functions.

In addition, the organization has created a foundation, within which they carry out social activities and collaborate with different organizations in the town.

4.7. ENVIRONMENT

* Prevention of pollution and climate change and efficient use of resources

At INQUIBA we are committed to conducting our activities in an environmentally responsible and sustainable manner to minimize the impact of our operations.

That is why the prevention of pollution, climate change and the efficient use of resources is one of the basic principles of action of INQUIBA. Consequently, the organization has defined a policy and implemented an environmental management system.

* Preservation and restoration of ecosystems and biodiversity

As we have mentioned in the previous paragraph, the preservation of the environment is one of our basic principles of action and therefore, we have defined policies and various methodologies for the preservation and restoration of ecosystems and biodiversity. All of this is addressed under the environmental management system that the organization has in place.

All the members of INQUIBA must know and assume this policy and act at all times in accordance with the criteria of respect and sustainability that it inspires, adopt habits and behaviors related to good environmental practices and contribute positively and effectively to the achievement of the established objectives.

Likewise, all the organization’s personnel must strive to minimize and / or prevent in their sphere of influence the environmental impact derived from their activities and from the use of the facilities, equipment and means of work placed at their disposal, ensuring efficient use of the same, without involving the loss, reduction or extinction of ecosystems, biodiversity and natural habitats.

In addition, the organization promotes initiatives or actions that have a positive impact on the ecosystems and biodiversity.

One of the actions carried out is the study report that we have carried out to emit less pollution into the atmosphere.

* Respect for animals

INQUIBA maintains special diligence in complying with current regulations regarding the welfare, handling and care of animals.

4.8. COMPETITORS

INQUIBA defines commercial policies and strategies that guarantee the non-performance of unfair competition practices:

a) Respect the property rights (tangible and intangible) of competitors, without resorting to bad practices such as, for example, industrial espionage.

b) Refrains from promoting or signing agreements that illegally or unduly restrict competition (price agreements and market share).

c) It does not make any type of agreements with our competitors that illegally restrict free trade, as well as illegal practices regarding price agreements, group boycotts and manipulation of the offer.

INQUIBA is committed to competing in the markets fairly and not to advertising misleading or denigrating its competition or third parties.

INQUIBA tiene el compromiso de competir en los mercados de forma leal y no de realizar publicidad engañosa o denigratoria de su competencia o de terceros.

5. ACEPTACIÓN Y CUMPLIMIENTO DEL CÓDIGO

Este Código Ético es de obligado cumplimiento para todos los integrantes de INQUIBA y para aquellos terceros que se hayan comprometido voluntariamente a cumplirlo.

La organización comunicará y difundirá entre todos sus grupos de interés, el contenido de este Código Ético. Los empleados deberán comprometerse formalmente con el cumplimiento del Código en el momento en que causen alta en la organización, en la renovación de sus contratos y en aquellas otras circunstancias en las que la organización estime conveniente. 

Su incumplimiento se analizará de acuerdo con los procedimientos internos, la normativa legal y los convenios vigentes, y en su caso se aplicarán las sanciones procedentes.

Cualquier duda que pueda surgir sobre la interpretación o aplicación de este Código Ético deberá consultarse con el responsable de RSE de la organización, o en su caso, con Dirección.

Nadie, independientemente de su nivel o posición, está autorizado para solicitar a un integrante de la organización a que contravenga lo establecido en el presente Código Ético. Ningún empleado puede justificar una conducta impropia amparándose en una orden superior o en el desconocimiento del presente Código.

Los incumplimientos del Código Ético ponen en riesgo la reputación de INQUIBA y podrían comprometer su solidez. Por tal motivo, todos los empleados de la organización tienen la obligación de informar al Responsable de RSE o Dirección, cualquier incumplimiento o mala práctica que pudieran observar en el desempeño de sus actividades profesionales. 

INQUIBA ha establecido canales formales supervisados por Dirección, para que todos sus empleados puedan realizar de buena fe y sin temor a represalias, consultas o comunicaciones de incumplimientos de lo establecido en este Código.

Para garantizar la aplicación del Código Ético, así como la supervisión y control de su cumplimiento, Dirección junto con el Responsable de RSE y/o personas con cargos de los departamentos de la organización, revisarán el Código Ético como mínimo 1 vez/año, quedando evidenciado en el acta de Reunión por Dirección.

6. PUBLICIDAD DEL CÓDIGO

El Código se hará llegar en su propio idioma a todos los empleados, permanecerá publicado en la página Web de INQUIBA y será objeto de las adecuadas acciones de comunicación, formación y sensibilización para su oportuna comprensión y puesta en práctica en toda la organización. Estará a disposición de todos los grupos de interés que influyan en la organización.