03 Intercompany business practices

HZPC operates in competition with others. HZPC expects every employee to respect the law, as well as the competition laws in the world. HZPC follows a policy to make sure all her activities are in line with the competition laws involved for that respective area.

We encourage free and fair competition. Agreements and other coordinated forms of conduct (involving competitors, suppliers, customers, or other third parties) that could adversely affect competition are prohibited. They entail the risk of a large fine for the company and the persons involved as well as of criminal prosecution. This applies particularly to agreements concerning prices, offers, and the allocation of customers, production and sales quotas or the geographical allocation of markets. 

Various national and international trade laws restrict or prohibit the import and export of products. The restrictions can be for political or phytosanitary reasons, relate to the country of origin or destination of the product, or for other reasons like a trading embargo on a person or a company. In addition to compliance with these restrictions, strict requirements in terms of compliance with customs regulations apply to our company. Every employee who is involved with the export of goods and services is required to observe the relevant requirements.

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. We implement and enforce effective systems to counter bribery. 

The purpose of this policy is to:

• Set out our responsibilities in observing and maintaining our position on bribery and corruption;
• Provide information and guidance on how to recognise and deal with bribery and corruption issues.
  We therefore take our legal responsibilities very seriously. 

HZPC does not tolerate any child labour within our organization or subsidiaries. We expect the same from all our agents, seed growers, suppliers or otherwise involved with HZPC. For the definition of Child labour, HZPC acknowledges the UN convention of the Right of the Child and International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions(c-138, 182, 184) and act conform Plantum requirements. 

All our agents and partners are committed to our CSR statement.

Our suppliers comply not to engage child labour and are obliged to keep an up-to-date labour force registration. HZPC has the audit right with its (sub)suppliers

HZPC employees (specifically those working in risk areas) are trained to recognize child labour practices. If an HZPC-employee observes child labour within our supply chain, this employee is expected to report this to the Integrity council. HZPC will take appropriate measures to stop this immediately and for future prevention. While finding solutions we always take the best interest of children involved as our first priority. HZPC may – and has the right to - conduct audits at production locations and (sub)suppliers’ premises in risk areas.

More information can be found in our ''Statement against Child Labour'' on the HZPC website.

The guideliness mentioned in this chapter of the Code apply to all individuals regardless of nationality and location of employment, including:

• Members of the Executive Board;
• Employees of the HZPC Group and joint-venture partners of HPZC;
• Trainees, temporary staff and interns;
• What you cannot do;
• The following conduct is absolutely prohibited under this policy;
• Making unofficial payments to officials or another person in order to obtain any permission, permit or stamp particularly in connection with importing or exporting goods;
• Offering, paying, soliciting or accepting bribes in any form, including facilitation payments.

In order to achieve our aim of not making any facilitation payments, each business of HZPC will keep a record of all payments made, which must be reported to the Integrity Council.

Accepting or offering benefits in kind (such as gifts, services, hospitality entertainment) can leave HZPC vulnerable to accusations of unfairness, partiality, deceit or unlawful conduct. Therefore, ask yourself the following questions

• Appropriate? (Think of: is it proportional, within reasonable limits of frequency of offerings, according the company guidelines of the receiver, according cultural standards, not in breach of applicable law, a.o.);
• Intended (or can be interpreted like that) to influence business considerations? (Think of: who is the person who receives or offers, at which moment is it offered, might it be of influence of independence desicion-making, a.o.).

A. If you do not have doubts after questioning yourself as indicated above; gifts, hospitality or entertainment can be offered or accepted to a value of € 100,= (*) (or the equivalent value in your local currency)

B. If you do not have doubts after questioning yourself as indicated above, but the gifts, hospitality or entertainment (offered or received) are in excess of the value mentioned under A, you should be transparent about it. For this purpose a form is available on the Intranet (sharepoint) of HZPC. Use this form to keep track of the benefits in kind which you have received or given. Your personal record is available by sharepoint for yourself and shared with your manager and the members of the Integrity Council. 

Note: Transparency is also expected in situations as indicated under A, in case the cumulative value (over 12 previous months) of gifts, hospitality and entertainment received from or given by the same person or organisation are in excess of the indicated value. Use the same form as mentioned under B to give transparency.

(*) In parts of our business it is common practice to offer our guests a dinner and sometimes hotel accommodation, as they do this when you are their guest. As long as this is done reciprocally and those dinners and accommodations are within the normal standards of HZPC, those hospitalities do not need to be reported.

Employees are not allowed to request any gift, hospitality or entertainment in the course of his/her employment, directly or indirectly and whether in his/her personal capacity or on behalf of HZPC.

When you are begin offered a gift, hospitality or entertainment but uncertain whether to accept it or not, you can explain your rejection by referring to the Code of Conduct of HZPC. If you are intended to offer a gift, hospitality or entertainment, please check beforehand whether this can be done under the rules of the receiver’s employer. In case you need consultation, advice or an unprejudiced opinion, you can contact the Integrity Council. 

HZPC does not make contributions or donations to political organisations or independent candidates. We respect the right of individual employees to make personal contributions, provided they are not made in any way to obtain advantage in a business transaction.

Each year, HZPC selects a number of charity institutions and sponsorships. A list of the charity institutions and sponsorships is available on request.