Sirena Group Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy

1.0 Policy Statement

1.1 It is our policy to conduct all of our business in an honest and ethical manner. Sirena Group has a zero-tolerance approach to bribery and corruption. Sirena Group is committed to acting professionally, fairly and with integrity in all our business dealings and relationships. Wherever we operate, we implement and enforce effective systems to counter bribery and corruption.

1.2 We will uphold all laws relevant to countering bribery and corruption in all the jurisdictions in which we operate.

2.0 About this Policy

2.1 The purpose of this policy is to:

set out our responsibilities, and of those working for us, in observing, upholding our position on bribery and corruption; and
provide information and guidance to those working for us on how to recognise and deal with bribery and corruption issues.

2.2 It is a criminal offence to offer, promise, give, request, or accept a bribe. As an employer if we fail to prevent bribery, we can face an unlimited fine, exclusion from tendering for public contracts, and damage to our reputation. We therefore take our legal responsibilities very seriously.

2.3 In this policy, third party means any individual company or organisation you come into contact with during the course of your work for us. Third parties can include 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.

2.4 This policy does not form part of any employee’s contract of employment and we may amend it at any time and without prior notice.

3.0 Who Must Comply with this Policy?

This policy applies to all persons working for us or on our behalf in any capacity, including employees at all levels, directors, agency workers, volunteers, contractors, external consultants, agents, third-party representatives and business partners, sponsors, or any other person associated with us, wherever located.

4.0 Who is Responsible for this Policy?

4.1 The Board of Directors have overall responsibility for ensuring this policy complies with our legal and ethical obligations, and that all those under our control comply with it.

4.2 Each department and business unit has primary and day-to-day responsibility for implementing this policy, monitoring its use and effectiveness, dealing with any queries about it, and auditing internal control systems and procedures to ensure they are effective in countering bribery and corruption.

4.3 Management at all levels are responsible for ensuring those reporting to them understand and comply with this policy.

5.0 What is Bribery and Corruption?

5.1 Bribery is offering, promising, giving or accepting any financial or other advantage, to induce the recipient or any other person to act improperly in the performance of their functions, or to reward them for acting improperly, or where the recipient would act improperly by accepting the advantage.

5.2 An advantage includes money, gifts, loans, fees, hospitality, services, discounts, and the award of a contract or anything else of value.

5.3 A person acts improperly where they act illegally, unethically, or contrary to an expectation of good faith or impartiality, or where they abuse a position of trust. An improper act may be in relation to any business or professional activity, public function, any act in the course of employment, or any other activity by or on behalf of any business, organisation or body of any kind.

5.4 Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power or a position for private gain.

For Example:

Offering a Bribe

You offer a potential client tickets to a major sporting event, but only if they agree to do business with us.

This is an offence by you as you are making the offer to gain a commercial and contractual advantage. We may also be found to have committed an offence because the offer has been made to obtain business for us. It may also be an offence for the potential client to accept your offer.

Receiving a Bribe

A supplier gives your nephew a job, but makes it clear that in return they expect you to use your influence in our business to ensure we continue to do business with them.

It is an offence for a supplier to make such an offer. It would be an offence by you to accept the offer as you would be doing it to gain a personal advantage.

Bribing a Foreign Official

You arrange for the business to pay an additional “facilitation payment” to a foreign official to speed up an administrative process such as clearing our goods through customs.

The offence of bribing a foreign public official is committed by you as soon as the offer is made. This is because it is made to gain a business advantage for us. We may also be found to have committed an offence.

6.0 What You Must Not Do

It is not acceptable for you (or someone on your behalf) to:

give, promise to give, or offer, a payment, gift or hospitality with the expectation or hope that a business advantage will be received, or to reward a business advantage already given;
give or accept a gift or hospitality during any commercial, contract or order negotiations or tender process, if this could be perceived as intended or likely to influence the outcome;
accept a payment, gift or hospitality from a third party that you know or suspect is offered with the expectation that it we will provide a business advantage for them or anyone else in return;
accept hospitality from a third party that is unduly lavish or extravagant in the circumstances.
offer or accept a gift to or from government officials or representatives or politicians or political parties, without the prior approval of your Manager or
apply any pressure of any kind on another individual who has refused to commit a bribery offence or who has raised concerns under this policy; or
engage in any other activity that might lead to a breach of this policy.

7.0 Facilitation Payments and Kickbacks

7.1 We do not make, and will not accept, facilitation payments or “kickbacks” of any kind.

7.2 Facilitation payments, also known as “back-handers” or “grease payments”, are typically small, unofficial payments made to secure or expedite a routine or necessary action (for example by a government official).

7.3 Kickbacks are typically payments made in return for a business favour or advantage.

7.4 You must totally avoid any activity that might lead to a facilitation payment or kickback being made or accepted by us or on our behalf, or that might suggest that such a payment will be made or accepted. If you are asked to make a payment on our behalf, you should always be mindful of what the payment is for and whether the amount requested is proportionate to the goods or services provided. You should always ask for a receipt which details the reason for the payment. If you have any suspicions, concerns or queries at all regarding a payment, you should always raise these beforehand with your Manager or Director.

8.0 Gifts, Hospitality and Expenses

8.1 This policy allows only reasonable and appropriate hospitality or entertainment given to or received from third parties, for the purposes of:

establishing or maintaining good business relationships;
improving or maintaining our image or reputation; or
marketing or presenting our products and/or services effectively.

8.2 The giving and accepting of gifts is allowed if the following requirements are met:

it is not made with the intention of influencing a third party to obtain or retain business or any business advantage, or to reward the provision or retention of business or any business advantage, or in explicit or implicit exchange for any favours or benefits;
it is given in our name, not in your name;
it does not include cash or a cash equivalent (such as gift certificates or vouchers);
it is appropriate in the circumstances, taking account of the reason for the gift, its timing and value. For example, in Denmark it is customary for small gifts to be given at Christmas; and
it is given openly, not secretly;
it complies with any applicable local laws, where it is given and received

8.3 Promotional gifts of low value such as branded stationery to or from existing customers, suppliers and business partners will usually be acceptable but must be declared to your Manager or Director.

8.4 Reimbursing a third party’s expenses, or accepting an offer to reimburse our expenses for example, the costs of attending a business meeting would not usually amount to bribery. However, a payment in excess of genuine and reasonable business expenses such as the cost of an extended hotel stay is not acceptable.

8.5 We appreciate that practice 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, hospitality or payment is reasonable and justifiable. The intention behind it must always be carefully considered.

9.0 Donations

9.1 We do not make contributions to political parties.

9.2 We only make charitable donations that are legal and ethical under local laws and practices. No charitable donations on behalf of our business must be offered or made without the prior approval of your Manager or Director.

10.0 Record Keeping

10.1 We must keep financial records and have appropriate internal controls in place which will evidence the business reason for making payments to third parties.

10.3 You must submit all expenses claims relating to hospitality, gifts or payments to third parties in accordance with our expenses policy and record the reason for expenditure.

10.4 All accounts, invoices, and other records relating to dealings with third parties including suppliers, agents, contractors and other third parties should be prepared with strict accuracy and completeness. Accounts must not be kept “off-book” to facilitate or conceal any payments for any reason whatsoever.

11.0 Your Responsibilities

11.1 You must ensure that you read, understand and comply with this policy.

11.2 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. You are required to avoid any activity that might lead to, or suggest, a breach of this policy.

11.3 You must notify your Manager as soon as possible if you believe or suspect that a conflict with this policy has occurred, or may occur in the future. For example, if a supplier or potential supplier offers you something to gain a business advantage with us, or indicates to you that a gift or payment is required to secure their business.

12.0 How to Raise a Concern

12.1 You are encouraged to raise concerns about any issue or suspicion of bribery or corruption at the earliest possible stage with your Manager or Director.

12.2 If you are offered a bribe, or are asked to make one, or if you believe or suspect that any bribery, corruption or other breach of this policy has occurred or may occur, you must notify your Manager.

12.3 If you are unsure about whether a particular act constitutes bribery or corruption, you should raise it with your Manager or Director.

13.0 Protection

13.1 Individuals who refuse to accept or offer a bribe, or who raise concerns or report another’s wrongdoing, are sometimes worried about possible repercussions. We aim to encourage complete openness and will support anyone who raises genuine concerns in good faith under this policy, even if they turn out to be mistaken.

13.2 We are committed to ensuring no one suffers any detrimental treatment as a result of refusing to take part in bribery or corruption, or because of reporting in good faith their suspicion that an actual or potential bribery or other corruption offence has taken place, or may take place in the future. Detrimental treatment includes dismissal, disciplinary action or any other unfavourable treatment connected with raising a concern. If you believe that you have suffered any such treatment, you should inform your Manager.

14.0 Communication

14.1 Our zero-tolerance approach to bribery and corruption must be communicated to all suppliers, contractors, agents and business partners at the outset of our business relationship with them and at appropriate times thereafter.

15.0 Breaches of this Policy

15.1 Any employee who breaches this policy will face disciplinary action, which could result in dismissal for misconduct or gross misconduct.

15.2 We may terminate our relationship with other individuals, business and organisations working on our behalf if they breach this policy.