Code of Conduct

1. The Code

Introduction

Each of us at CH-Bioforce Oy must act in accordance with our company values and the code principles and comply with company policies, laws and regulations. CH-Bioforce Oy is committed to carrying out its business in a sustainable way. In order to promote the long-term interests of CH-Bioforce Oy and its stakeholders, the company strives to maintain the highest legal and ethical standards in all its business practices. This code applies to every employee and manager, and to our Board of Directors; it governs every decision we make as part of our daily work.

As an employee you’re expected to

  • Read, understand and follow our code of conduct and company policies
  • Be transparent in any decisions and actions you take
  • Not misuse use your position, company assets or deals for private gain
  • Speak up and report any concerns or violations of this code or our policies
  • Ask your manager if you are unsure how to act

As a manager you’re expected to

  • Lead by example
  • Take the time to discuss and reflect on the areas of our code that are specifically relevant to your team
  • Create an environment where your team feels comfortable about raising concerns
  • Listen carefully and try to answer any questions or concerns related to the code
  • Seek help from the available resources if you need to address questions or concerns
  • Report any breaches of the code to the head of the local legal entity

Our values

Strong values help us create positive impact. At CH-Bioforce we adhere to our five core values: trust, courage, sustainability, innovation and teamwork.

Trust

We are on a world-changing mission to transform waste to value – side streams to valuable biopolymers – and we truly believe and trust that it is possible. Trust starts with being transparent, open, and optimistic both as individuals and as a company.

Courage

Bringing new technology, process and products to the market requires courage. We encourage our staff to be bold in proposing their own ideas and thoughts. We are brave in the face of the unknown and never hesitate to try something new and disruptive for the first time. We welcome the change with an open mind and we are not afraid to change direction.

Sustainability

Sustainability is at the core of our operations, in our hearts. We bring products to the market that replace non-renewable raw materials and thereby improve the condition of our environment. CH-Bioforce contributes to several UN Sustainable Development Goals with our solutions. We care deeply about our environment and have chosen to never compromise that – we are on the crest of the wave of the green transition.

Innovation

We are an innovative company where we always look a little further ahead. We value constant development and are eager to develop our skills, and we enjoy learning new things every day. We test, we learn and we evolve – both personally and professionally. We believe that by finding small improvements every single day, they will eventually accumulate into groundbreaking innovations.

Teamwork

We are lucky to work with talented and value-driven people, united by the will to change an entire industry. We share common goals and acknowledge that reaching it requires seamless teamwork. We celebrate success and learn from failures as one team. We cooperate across teams – within our company, and with our partners.

International principles

As a global biopolymer supplier, CH-Bioforce has an impact on many counterparts around the world. We strive to ensure that all our operations are carried out in a responsible and globally aligned manner. We are committed to following international conventions and guidelines such as:

2. Safety and good working conditions

Safety and wellbeing

We are committed to provide safe and healthy working conditions in all our locations for both our employees and contractors. We put safety first in all our actions. All of us must contribute to the safety and wellbeing of the workplace by encouraging a behavior-based safety culture, being alert and aware of the policies, standards and procedures, and by reporting any incidents and unsafe conditions. Each employee is responsible for complying with the safety instructions, for using personal protection equipment when required, and for reporting on any shortcomings regarding safety instructions or protection measures.

Fair employment practices

CH-Bioforce Oy promotes freedom from discrimination based on race, ethnic or national origin, color, gender, family status, sexual orientation, creed, disability, age or political beliefs, or other characteristics protected by law. CH-Bioforce Oy fosters equal opportunity and employees are selected and treated based on their abilities and merits. CH-Bioforce Oy does not accept any form of discrimination, harassment or bullying from its employees.

Respect and harassment-free environment

All of us at CH-Bioforce Oy must maintain a work environment in which people are treated with dignity, decency, and respect. That environment is characterized by mutual trust and the absence of harassment, intimidation, oppression, and exploitation. CH- Bioforce Oy does not accept any form of forced or compulsory labor or child labor.

Freedom of association

We respect freedom of association and collective bargaining. CH-Bioforce Oy employees have the right to choose whether or not to be represented by a trade union for the purpose of collective bargaining.

3. Business practices

Our commitments to customers, suppliers and markets

We comply with all applicable laws wherever we do business and treat all those in the marketplace with whom we come into contact with fairness and integrity. This includes our customers, agents, distributors, competitors, suppliers and contractors.

Product safety and quality

We aim to ensure that our products are made and developed to the highest ethical and safety standards and delivered to our customers according to our promises. We follow the applicable laws and regulations on chemical product safety.

Fair competition

We compete vigorously, yet fairly and ethically, and within the framework of applicable competition laws. Each CH-Bioforce Oy employee must adhere to competition laws, regulations and CH-Bioforce Oy policies. We respect the valid intellectual property and confidential information of others.

Trade compliance

We operate our business in an international trade environment which requires importing and exporting of products, other goods, services and information, from one country to another. We comply with applicable laws and regulations that affect our operations. Regulations include, but are not limited to embargoes and sanctions, customs import and export regulations, export controls, customs valuation, country of origin and preferential trade.

Anti-bribery and Anti-corruption

CH-Bioforce does not approve of bribery or corruption in any form. We are committed to practicing all our businesses globally in accordance with the highest legal and ethical standards, and to acting in a professional, fair and honorable manner in all our relationships. All who work for and/or on behalf of us must abide by these commitments.

We do not tolerate improper or corrupt payments made directly or indirectly to a customer, government official or third party, including facilitation payments, improper gifts, entertainment, gratuities, favors, donations or any other improper transfer of value.

CH-Bioforce’s employees are not allowed to accept personal gifts or other business-related benefits of any significant value from CH-Bioforce’s customers, suppliers or other business partners. Gifts and other business-related benefits can only be given and accepted when they are provided in connection with regular business operations and only if they are of minor value in terms of money and are disclosed without delay to the CEO of the Company. Gifts of money are never allowed.

Business partners

We deal only with business partners who conduct business ethically and responsibly. We seek productive, ethical and transparent relationships with our suppliers, agents, distributors, customers and contractors. We expect our partners to follow all applicable laws and regulations, and share the principles expressed in our code.

Anti-money laundering

We do not accept, facilitate or support money laundering. We comply with all laws that prohibit money laundering or financing for illegal or illegitimate purposes.

4. Being a good corporate citizen

We stand with our employees ready to respond ethically and with integrity to the needs of our surrounding communities and society.

Human rights

CH-Bioforce Oy supports and respects the protection of human rights as defined in the United Nation’s Universal Declaration on Human Rights. No employee is allowed to take any action that violates these human rights principles, either directly or indirectly, and we expect our suppliers and business partners to share these principles.

Dealing with governments

We follow high ethical standards and act in a transparent manner when interacting with governments and public officials. We are honest and accurate and follow CH-Bioforce Oy policies and procedures and any applicable laws in our dealings with governments and public officials.

Environmental responsibility

We seek to lower the environmental footprint in our value chain. We identify and look for opportunities to reduce any negative environmental impacts of our manufacturing or our products during production as well as during their lifecycle.

Political activity

We observe neutrality with regard to political parties and candidates for public office. We do not take part in political activities nor make corporate donations to political parties or candidates. Neither the names nor the assets of CH-Bioforce Oy shall be used to promote the interests of political parties or candidates.

5. Creating sustainable growth

Our commitments to the investors

Acting with responsibility and transparency goes hand-in-hand with protecting shareholder value. Each employee creates value for our shareholders and other investors by putting our company’s interests first, maintaining accurate business records, and protecting and properly using company resources, information and property.

Company assets and information

All of us at CH-Bioforce Oy must use company resources honestly, efficiently and only for legitimate business purposes.

We must protect our resources from theft, loss, damage, or misuse. Resources include physical property, such as facilities, supplies, equipment, machinery, raw materials, finished products, vehicles and company funds. They also include intangible assets, such as company time, confidential information, intellectual property and information systems. All of us must manage, use, disclose and distribute CH-Bioforce Oy proprietary or confidential information according to our policies and actively protect our intellectual property. Any non-public information that suppliers, customers or other business partners entrust to CHBioforce Oy must be managed in accordance with applicable legal and contractual requirements.

Conflict of interests

CH-Bioforce Oy expects full loyalty from its employees. Employees must avoid situations where their personal interests may conflict with those of CH-Bioforce Oy. We must always disclose any potential or actual conflict of interest situation to the relevant management.

Accuracy of accounting records

CH-Bioforce Oy accounting records must be accurate and reliable in all material respects. Unrecorded funds are prohibited. The records cannot contain any false, misleading, or artificial entries.

6. Reporting violations

Channel to report concerns

Every employee must raise any concern or activity which could be in violation of this code, company policy or law to his/her superior or manager. Each manager must forward all reports made to the head of local legal entity without any delay. A person, who in good faith reports misconduct, will not be retaliated against for making such a report. Any person, regardless of position, who engages in retaliatory behavior will be subject to disciplinary action.

Investigating code violations

All allegations of potential violations of this code made in good faith will receive a fair and comprehensive investigation conducted with the relevant internal and/or external assistance. Any reporting of potential code violations will be treated strictly confidentially and anonymously to the extent possible. Violations of our code, including failure to promptly report a known code violation, or making a false report of a violation, may result in disciplinary action up to, and including, termination of employment.

This document has been reviewed / updated 5 March 2024.