CODE OF ETHICS SUMMARY
1 Application of the Code
2 Principles of Ethics
3 AM and its Employees
4 AM and other Stakeholders
Amine Mouawad Loss Adjusters Updated on June 2023
1. APPLICATION OF THE CODE
Objectives of the Code
The Code of Ethics formalizes behavioural rules and good practices. It answers questions that may arise in situations concerning internal (between employees) and external (with our various stakeholders) relations.
Scope
Knowledge, understanding and compliance with the values and rules presented in this document concern each employee of the Group, regardless of their status, hierarchical level or seniority.
Broadcast of the Code
The Group ensures the broadcasting of this Code. It is given to each new employee and published on the Group's website.
All managers ensure access to the Code, their knowledge, understanding and application by their teams. They lead by example by applying these principles themself daily.
* In this Code, the term 'Group' refers indifferently to the AM Group and its employees. The Code applies to all staff, thus concretizing the action of the AM Group.
Alert duty
All Group employees are responsible for ensuring that the principles and rules of behaviour of this Code are respected in the context of their actions, activities or areas of competence.
Any person who witnesses a behaviour or situation contrary to the principles laid down in the Code must alert their manager or declare the situation to the Group's General Management by any means.
Protection and confidentiality for the witness is guaranteed by the Group.
Sanctions
No employee will be subject to disciplinary action in the event of erroneous reporting made in good faith.
Failure to comply with the rules of conduct contained in this Code of Ethics may result in disciplinary sanctions, up to and including dismissal for an employee. The application of disciplinary sanctions does not exclude possible criminal or civil proceedings.
Entry into force
The Code of Ethics enters into force on the date of publication.
2. PRINCIPLES OF ETHICS
These principles are general and apply in all areas of the group's work. The group promotes these values and asks its stakeholders to adhere to them.
2.1 Compliance with laws and regulations
Group commitments
The Group undertakes to comply with the laws, regulations and standards in force, both national and international, applicable to its activity. The Group also complies with generally recognized ethical principles to guarantee its image and integrity.
Pre-eminence of laws and regulations
The Group ensures the observance of local rules and customs in each country where the Group operates. In case of contradiction between local laws or regulations and internal rules, the former are pre-eminent. As far as possible, the Group shall adapt its rules or publish a formal derogation.
Regulatory monitoring
The Group pays particular attention to changes in laws and regulations and adapts its internal rules accordingly.
2.2 Respect and protection of people Respect for human rights
The Group respects Human Rights and adheres to the principles of international conventions and organizations.
In terms of respect for fundamental human rights, the Group is committed to respecting employment laws, guaranteeing access to minimum wages, not using children to work, and not using any form of forced labour.
Non-discrimination
In professional relationships, whether internal or external, the Group's principle is to avoid any form of discrimination. In particular, the Group recruits its employees solely based on their own qualities, without discrimination as to age or sex, racial or ethnic origin, political or religious opinions, with full respect for their private lives.
Health protection
The Group makes it a priority that the good physical and psychological health of persons who have relations with the Group be preserved, that all measures be taken to ensure their safety and protection, that working conditions and relationships between persons are healthy and respectful of their dignity.
2.3 Asset and image protection
Asset protection
The Group contributes to protecting and preserving its assets. Maintaining their integrity benefits the entire Group.
These assets consist of tangible assets (facilities, equipment, or supplies) or intangible assets (information, intellectual property, know-how). The Group implements the necessary means to avoid damage, malice, theft or misappropriation, but also negligence or waste.
Image protection
The Group, aware of the importance of its image and reputation for the success of its activities, pays particular attention to any act of denigration or dissemination of false information.
2.4 Reliability and Fairness of Information Reliability and completeness of information
The proper management of the activity presupposes that everyone provides and transmits accurate data and information, as complete as possible, in strict compliance with the applicable rules of confidentiality. All areas of the Group are concerned. Fairness and transparency of information All information distributed by the Group is sincere, transparent, understandable, and complete.
2.5 Business Ethics Conflict of interest
The Group is careful to avoid and correct any situation that could lead to a conflict of interest for its employees, i.e. the search for an interest different from those of the Group, its shareholders or its customers, to derive direct or indirect personal benefit.
Corruption
In compliance with the legislation in force, the Group shall refrain from any behaviour amounting to corruption. He does not enter ambiguous relationships, internal or external, which could cause the slightest doubt as to his sincerity and honesty. Any attempt or detection of an action amounting to corruption, active or passive, of internal or external origin, must be brought to the attention of the Group's General Management.
Competition and Intellectual Property
The Group recognizes the value of competition and respects national and international obligationssuch as the prohibition of market sharing or limitations on production or sales. The Group recognizes the value of competitive brands and respects the intellectual property rights of third parties.
2.6 Business Management
Ensuring the Group's sustainable development is a fundamental value that guides the behaviour of Group employees. Valuing its heritage, ensuring its profitability and development, preparing for the future must be permanent concerns.
Fairness and mutual benefit The Group works to the best of the mutual benefit of the Group and its business partners (employees, customers, suppliers, shareholders) in a spirit of fairness and honesty. Each undertakes to safeguard the Group's interests, in compliance with the Principles of Ethics.
Honouring commitments
The quality of the relationships developed by the Group relies on its ability to mobilize and make itself available, with a permanent desire for transparency and cooperation.
Fulfilling the commitments made by the Group is a priority. It is based on a thorough risk analysis, the realism of commitments, strict respect for everyone's rights, defined by regulations and contracts.
Performance and efficiency
The sustainability of the Group's development is closely linked to the performance it will demonstrate in its markets and the efficiency of the resources deployed. They are mainly based on the added value provided to customers, the strengthening of competitiveness, the optimization of the resources used, financial health, the quality and the mobilization of its employees.
2.7 Confidentiality and security of information Confidentiality
The Group ensures the confidentiality of information and data belonging to the Group or transmitted by third parties to protect the interests of its employees, the company, customers, suppliers, and partners. Any professional and personal information that is not public cannot be shared, even in the absence of a formal obligation of secrecy.
Respect for privacy and confidentiality of personal data
The Group respects privacy and in particular personal data concerning employees or any other stakeholder. It collects data only if it is necessary and if it has been expressly authorized for this purpose. It does not disclose personal information in any way to unauthorized third parties. It always puts the security of the procedures for the processing of personal information at the forefront, respecting the data privacy protection policy.
Security
The Group pays particular attention to the security of its assets and information. It implements the appropriate rules for access to the Group's premises, data backup, protection of Group or Customer assets, and protection of its information system against intrusion, unavailability, misuse, and theft.
2.8 Social responsibility
Environmental policy
The Group pursues a continuous improvement approach in terms of environmental protection. The Group's strategy is based on investments and activities that meet the principles of sustainable development and innovation. As a responsible company, the Group considers the needs of current customers and the interests of future generations.
Political and associative activities
The Group does not fund political parties or religious institutions. It shall also refrain from any contribution to trade unions or associations that could involve a conflict of interest. Institutions The Group works to uphold the principles of honesty, transparency, cooperation and non-interference with public authorities and other independent bodies.
3. AM AND ITS EMPLOYEES
The achievement of the group's objectives depends on the successful completion of its missions. Employees are therefore an essential asset of the group through the quality of skills, motivation and team cohesion.
3.1 Respect and protection of persons
Rules of behaviour
The Group is committed to promoting a healthy, fulfilling, and diverse work environment that encourages its employeesto develop their know-how and professional ambitions. The Group prohibits any behaviour that may undermine the dignity of the individual and any act of moral or sexual harassment in any form.
The Group prohibits any abuse of authority.
Recruitment policy and mastery of missions
The Group is committed to excellence and quality by integrating and retaining talents. It recruits its staff based on the Group's needs and the specific qualities of each candidate.
Employees receive the information and resources necessary to carry out their missions, considering their skills or potential.
Skills development
The Group recognizes the competence of employees, organizes the promotion of potential and encourages mobility between missions.
It undertakes to adopt strategies that combine the growth and profitability of the enterprise with the protection and development of employment, and to promote the quality of work, in a manner compatible with the external economic situation.
3.2 Occupational Health and Safety
In addition to the Principles of Ethics on health protection and safety, the Group ensures that employees are informed about the health and safety rules inherent to their professional activity.
3.3 Protection of the Group’s image
Each employee carries the Group's image undertakes to avoid any act of denigration or damage to his reputation. Everyone is therefore responsible for the consistency of the messagessent, regardless of the media used and the topics covered.
Only duly authorised employees are authorised to communicate on behalf of the Group on its activities and services.
3.4 Business Ethics
Each employee must respect the principles of integrity and loyalty in their dealings with customers, suppliers, and other partners.
Conflict of interest
Employees must report to their managers situations and activities in which they or one of their relatives have economic and financial interests in actual or potential conflict with the Group's interests.
Gifts and other benefits
The Group defines the framework for the offering or acceptance of gifts or other benefits. It prohibits any element likely to influence decisions or behaviour, to compromise the neutrality of judgment or at least to create suspicion thereof.
3.5 Political and associative activities
The Group guarantees freedom of association, union membership and collective bargaining. It ensures that employees have freedom of choice and can exercise their rights. Employees with a political or religious activity carry it out outside the Group, on a private basis.
Employees, if they mention their membership of the Group in the context of these activities, must clearly indicate that they do not represent it in any way.
4. AM AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS
The group is a competitive company whose revenues come mainly from contracts with its customers. These are at the heart of its priorities.
Aware of their importance in achieving its objectives, the Group works to develop partnerships with its Suppliers. The Group is committed to relationships based on rigour, mutual respect and fairness. Long-term relationships are privileged.
4.1 Customers
Added value and strength of proposal
The Group develops its activity with a constant concern for professionalism. This involves understanding its clients' value chain, designing high value-added offers that meet their challenges and needs, and give them a competitive advantage in their markets.
The added value is embodied in the Group's ability to be proactive, to offer customers support and opportunities useful for their own development, even beyond their ability to formulate their needs.
Technical excellence and technological innovation are essential elements of the Group's positioning.
Customer Satisfaction
The Group focuses on developing mutual trust with its customers to build long-term relationships.
The Group constantly monitors customer opinions, considers the lessons learned, handles complaints diligently and objectively, using action plans and continuous progress.
4.2 Suppliers
Selection criteria
Suppliers shall be subject to transparent and non-discriminatory selection procedures. The criteria applied are objective, based on complementarity, competitiveness, quality and safety of the products or services provided.
Resources for choosing suppliers
The selection of suppliers and the purchase of goods and services are carried out by competent functions of the Group, in compliance with internal policies. The Group also ensures sufficient competition, in compliance with the principles of impartiality and independence.
The Group's choices also considers social and environmental issues and the relationship of trust.
The commitment of suppliers to respect the principles of this Code is an essential criterion.
Content of the services
Suppliers receive clear instructions on the expected products and services, and the terms of remuneration are precisely defined.
The Group undertakes not to be involved in the concealment or laundering of proceeds of criminal activities, of any form or nature whatsoever. The same principle is required of its suppliers.
Under no circumstances may payments be made for a subject other than the contractual counterparty, except in cases of assignment of receivables.
Relationship tracking
The performance of the Group's partners is regularly evaluated on objective criteria, including the same criteria as for selection.
Byblos Sun Building – 4th Floor – Jbeil Lebanon Tel: +961 9 546061 Email: a.mouawad@aminemouawad.com j.mouawad@aminemouawad.com Website: www.aminemouawad.com