Code of Conduct

Adven Group

Our Code of Conduct defines how we do business at Adven. It describes the standards of business behavior and ethics, we all must comply with, regardless of the business or country we work in.

From the CEO

Together with our guiding principles – long-term view, sustainable impact & outperforming together – Code of Conduct guides our decision making in our daily activities. It helps us navigate complex business situations, achieve our business goals, and safeguard our brand and reputation.

Adven culture builds on togetherness, where inclusive and diverse teams work together and build strong relations and partnerships with our customers, suppliers, colleagues, and all other stakeholders. Code of Conduct helps us make Adven a company where everyone is happy to work and collaborate.

Adven is committed to conducting business in an ethical and responsible manner. Living by the Code of Conduct is the responsibility of everyone. In case in doubt, please do not hesitate to ask for guidance. Should you suspect a breach of Code of Conduct or other regulations, please inform your manager, SVP, Human Resources or SVP, Legal & Compliance. Any wrongdoings may also be reported anonymously to whistleblowing channel.

– Anders Ericsson

Together with our guiding principles – long-term view, sustainable impact & outperforming together – Code of Conduct guides our decision making in our daily activities.

Anders Ericsson
CEO Adven Group

Purpose & Compliance

PURPOSE OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT
Adven Code of Conduct defines how we do business. It describes the standards of business behaviour and ethics and helps navigate complex business situations, while guiding our decision making. Code of Conduct sets the key principles of how we treat our colleagues and interact with our customers, partners, and other stakeholders. Living by the highest ethical standards helps us achieve our business goals and safeguard our brand and reputation.

COMPLIANCE
All employees, Board of Directors and anyone representing Adven are expected to comply with the Adven Code of Conduct, regardless of the business or country they work in. Adven suppliers are expected to comply with a separate Supplier Code of Conduct.
In addition to this Code of Conduct Adven has separate group policies, including anti-bribery, conflicts of interest, sanctions, health, safety & environment, privacy, and other HR related policies. All employees are expected to comply with these policies and with the relevant local laws and regulations. Where local legislation provides higher standards then these should be followed.
Non-compliance with the Code of Conduct and legal obligations may lead to severe consequences, both legally and in terms of Adven’s reputation. Non-compliance may be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with the local laws and regulations, including immediate termination of employment.

REPORTING CONCERNS
Every employee is obliged to report without delay any misconduct or suspicion of misconduct to their immediate manager, SVP, Human Resources or SVP, Legal & Compliance, or anonymously to whistleblowing channel administered by a third party and available in Group intranet and at https://adven.com/contact-us/. All reported compliance concerns are handled confidentially and with the highest integrity.

INTERPRETATIONS
Adven Code of Conduct is available in English and selected local languages. In case of any discrepancies in interpretation, the English version shall prevail.

Our Guiding Principles

Together with our guiding principles, Code of Conduct guides our decision making in our daily activities, helping us navigate complex business situations and lead our people and business. Our guiding principles frame how we act and define endorsed behaviors and attitudes that enable us to reach our goals and strive towards the vision.

LONG-TERM VIEW

We grow with long-term perspective. It’s a matter of competitiveness and continuous improvement. Consider the long-term impact of your decisions.

SUSTAINABLE IMPACT

We strive for large-scale sustainable impact, supporting our customers’ journey to sustainability. Focus on profitable solutions that drive resource efficiency & emission reductions.

OUTPERFORMING TOGETHER

We aim high and build strong teams and partnerships to deliver outstanding results, always keeping safety in mind. Embrace diversity in all its forms to build high-performance teams.

Ethical Business Conduct

WE COMPLY WITH APPLICABLE LAWS AND REGULATIONS
Adven strictly follows all applicable legislation, regulations, and conventions in its business. We comply with generally acknowledged good ethical practices for business conduct and corporate governance.

WE AVOID CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Adven employees are expected to promote the interest of the company in a responsible manner. All employees must strictly avoid activity, which could influence or reasonably appear to influence one’s ability to make objective and honest decisions and to act in the best interest of Adven. Any potential conflicts of interest must be disclosed to SVP, Legal & Compliance for evaluation and further guidance.
Secondary employments or assignments may result in conflicts of interest and therefore those must be approved by the SVP, Legal & Compliance prior to engaging in any such activity. Employment of family members is not allowed in case that would lead to manager subordinate relationship between the family members.

WE SAY NO TO CORRUPTION AND BRIBERY
Adven strictly prohibits bribery and corruption in any form. Adven or its employees shall not pay or offer to pay bribes or illegal payments. No employee shall seek to acquire personal benefit by taking inappropriate advantage of his/her position or Adven’s property or information.

Employees may not accept personal gifts, hospitality, or entertainment if these exceed the limits of customary and moderate hospitality. A conflict of interest is assumed to arise if an employee or his or her family member receives improper personal benefit as a result of the employee’s position in Adven. Any expenditure received or given exceeding 100 EUR per individual must be approved in advance by SVP, Legal & Compliance.

Furthermore, gifts, hospitality, or entertainment should never be given or accepted during an ongoing bidding process and/or contract negotiations between Adven and the entity in question.
Business hospitality must relate to an underlying business purpose, and as a general rule, should not be extended to friends or family members.

WE SUPPORT FAIR COMPETITION
Adven supports open and fair competition. We compete in a respectable and ethically responsible manner within the competition regulations that apply in the markets in which Adven operates.
Fair competition means a lot of different things. In general, we do not discuss with our potential competitors about our business including prices, profits, costs, volumes or customer or supplier relationships. We also deal with our stakeholders on a fair and equal basis.

WE COMPLY WITH INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS
Adven is committed to complying with all applicable laws and regulations regarding the export, sale and purchase of products and services including sanction towards third countries or parties. This is especially important to recognise when entering a commitment with a new and unknown party.

WE ARE ALERTED AGAINST ANY ILLEGAL ACTIONS
Adven and its employees shall always be alerted against illegal actions of any kind, including money laundering. Any situations potentially constituting criminal behavior must be reported internally to SVP, Legal & Compliance.

WE CREATE LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIPS
We build strong relationships with our customers and suppliers through co-operation, partnerships, co-ownership, and local presence. We deliver outstanding customer experience and high-quality services to drive engagement and trust. We understand and are there to support and guide our customers’ journey to sustainability.

All our customers, partners and other stakeholders shall be treated with respect and integrity. We will deal with customers’ needs in the best possible manner within the commercial and ethical standards that apply to Adven.

WE PROTECT COMPANY ASSETS AND INFORMATION
Company assets may not be used for personal purposes without proper authorisation. Assets shall not be used for any other unauthorised purposes either. We do not disclose confidential customer or other information to any outside party.

WE PROTECT ADVEN’S REPUTATION
We do not harm the reputation of Adven. We make sure to appear in social media in a professional manner and not attribute our personal opinions to Adven. When engaging in political activities we make sure to participate as individuals and not appear as representatives of Adven.

WE STRIVE FOR LARGE SCALE SUSTAINABILITY
We strive for large scale sustainable impact and provide optimized solutions and operations to drive resource efficiency and emission reductions. Everyone is encouraged to strive for sustainability in their own actions.

Respect, Care & Fair Treatment

WE RESPECT HUMAN AND LABOUR RIGHTS
Internationally acknowledged human rights, such as the UN Declaration of Human Rights and the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, are the foundation of Adven’s relationship with its employees. Applicable employment laws are always adhered to. We respect the right of association of all our employees. We do not accept forced or child labour or human trafficking practices.

WE TREAT EVERYONE EQUALLY AND FAIR
Adven respects each individual employee and treats everyone equally and fairly. All employees have equal opportunities regardless of their gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, ethnic background, disability, or similar factors. We embrace diversity in all its forms and never tolerate discrimination or unfair treatment.

WE SAY NO TO HARASSMENT OR BULLYING
We do not tolerate any form of harassment, bullying, mistreatment, or intimidating behaviour. We appreciate that individuals may experience situations differently and therefore we exercise caution and pay attention to appropriate behaviours and language.

‘SAFETY FIRST’ GUIDES OUR THINKING AND ACTIONS
We do not compromise the safety of the environment, employees, customers, or communities in which we operate. We actively identify and assess risks and take necessary measures to reduce those. We comply with all relevant safety requirements and instructions. We do not consume or be under the influence of drugs or alcohol at work. We nurture a healthy work life balance and look after the well-being of people.

WE RESPECT PRIVACY
Adven is committed to respecting privacy and protecting the personal data of individuals. We process personal information in accordance with applicable privacy legislation, including EU’s General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 (GDPR). We collect, use, store, and process personal data carefully and only for legitimate business purposes.

The Supplier Code of Conduct

Read here