The code of ethics

Alfa print Ltd. THE CODE of ETHICS  

Preamble

The printing company Alfa print Ltd. was founded in 1995 with the goal to provide services in the printing industry. This goal is being fulfiled by printing of newspapers, magazines, catalogues, books and advertising material.

Our company endeavours to reach its goals on the basis of ethical attitude and correct relations which are listed in this Code of Ethics. The Code of Ethics serves most of all as an internal manual of this company and is binding for all employees working for our company. It represents the effort and commitment to work and adhere to the highest principles of social and business ethics and legislation in force. This Code is applied without the difference on all employees of the company. Respect and observance of this Code by all employees is a prerequisite for improving the quality of work and open and fair communication. It needs to be followed by each employee. Violation of the Code of Ethics may lead to violation of the Labour Code and termination of employment with employees may follow.

The Code of Ethics of company Alfa print Ltd. expresses our willingness to subscribe to social responsibility in all our activities. At the same time it declares our commitment to be the kind of business entity which always acts in accordance with law and ethics and is a reliable, responsible and trustworthy business partner. The Code of Ethics is a summary of principles that reflect the fundamental values of organizational culture and direction of the company. It is a publicly accessible document.

Main reasons for creating the Code of Ethics were:

eliminate improper practices that cause a decrease of interest about our company

clarify the policy of our company in sensitive matters

strengthen in-house discipline

positively motivate our employees by increasing their awareness that they operate in an ethical environment with clear rules applicable to everyone

1. Aim and meaning of the Code of Ethics

1.1 The Code of Ethics of company Alfa print Ltd. is an official corporate document of strategic importance. It presents a summary of ethical principles, standards and rules that are binding for each employee of the company, regardless of what function he performs as well as for all who act on behalf of the company.
1.2. The Code of Ethics of company Alfa print Ltd. is based on ethical principles of responsibility, respect for human dignity, honesty, tolerance and duty.
1.3. The aim of the Code of Ethics is to regulate the conduct of all employees in the company in accordance with the required ethical standards in order to achieve a higher moral standard in the corporate culture and to become a trusted and recognized company in the long term. The aim of the Code of Ethics is to build a positive relationship of employees.

2. General obligations

2.1. Company Alfa print Ltd. in its business activities closely observes all statutory provisions applicable in the Slovak Republic and the European Union.
2.2. Company Alfa print Ltd. condemns a corruption in any form and doesn’t practise it and respects the rules of public competition and supports correct business environment.
2.3. Company Alfa print Ltd. doesn’t support any political party – financially or otherwise.
2.4. Company Alfa print Ltd. ensures openness and transparency in all its activities. It builds and maintains correct relations. If needed the company informs the public of its activities and provides accurate and undistorted information in accordance with the provisions of the Commercial Code.

3. Responsibilities to customers

3.1. The aim and the main task of the company is long term customer satisfaction. To fulfil this aim, our services and product have to be of good quality, for a reasonable price and based on the ethics of our employees.
3.2. Each of our employees while performing any type of activity has to keep in mind that our company is customer oriented. Therefore when relating to customers he/she must always be respectful and do everything to ensure the customer satisfaction with our services.
3.3. Each employee has an obligation to seek to gain our customer’s confidence and no one can take risks with that confidence. Therefore each employee always treats our customers professionally, helpfully, honesty, and accommodately.
3.4. If for any reason we can’t fulfil our customer’s wishes or provide required services or comply with a deadline we inform the customer as soon as possible and seek an acceptable solution.
3.5. We realise that our customer doesn’t have the same expertise and technical skills as the company’s employee. However, the customer’s position is never abused. If the customer’s behaviour toward our employee is vulgar and offensive the employee has the right to ask him politely to end the communication and resolve the situation through his supervisor.
3.6. We care about protecting our customer’s property, rights and reputation. We are committed to confidentiality of information about the state of customer’s contracts or other facts we know while carrying out our work.

4. Commitment to business partners and investors

4.1. Company Alfa print Ltd. makes every effort to gain and maintain its reputation as a reliable and trustworthy company in the business environment and in the public. Therefore it always behaves correctly, openly and honestly in dealings with its business partners and investors.
4.2. Company Alfa print Ltd. always provides truthful information about its business activities and intentions which are necessary for closing of the contract to its business partners and investors. The company also expects truthfulness and correctness from its business partners.
4.3. Company Alfa print Ltd. considers the information about the economic status of sales orders and intentions of its business partners and company Alfa print Ltd. to be confidential.
4.4. Company Alfa print Ltd. in relation to its business partners and investors is committed to comply with all contracts agreed upon. However, if some unforeseen circumstances prevent fulfilment of contract terms, the company promptly informs its partner and seeks to find a solution which is acceptable to both parties.

5. Commitment to its employees

5.1. Company Alfa print Ltd. follows strictly the Labour Code of Slovak Republic and all mandatory provisions which apply on the territory of Slovakia in the labour field.
5.2. Company Alfa print Ltd. is aware that its development depends on the professionalism, honesty, responsibility and loyalty of its employees. The company appreciates each employee who demonstrates the mentioned qualities and ensures that everyone has optimal conditions for their further professional growth and dignified working conditions.
5.3. Company Alfa print Ltd. is committed to avoid any form of discrimination in recruitment, remuneration, career development or dismissal of employees.
5.4. Company Alfa print Ltd. takes care that the system of rewarding its employees is professional and fair.
5.5. Company Alfa print Ltd. ensures that during the release of employees from the employment observes the legal procedures and that layoffs in the company take place in an equitable manner.
5.6. Company Alfa print Ltd. consistently observes all regulations related to health and safety at work. At the same time, each employee is required to fully comply with the safety regulations and standards and ensure that their actions do not endanger themselves, co-workers and customers.
5.7. Company Alfa print Ltd. considers it unacceptable for its employees to consume alcohol or take drugs during working hours or before the commencement into work. Smoking during working hours is permitted only at designated areas during defined breaks.
5.8. Company Alfa print Ltd. guarantees that no one will be discriminated if they inform management or responsible departments about immoral or illegal activities which would have occurred in the company.
5.9. Company Alfa print Ltd. recognizes the right of employees to create workers’ organizations and is committed to maintain a correct partnership with staff representatives.

6. Commitment of employees to the company

6.1. Each employee, while carrying out his job, makes maximal effort to increase his knowledge, to improve their work, to adapt to progress and development of the company in the scope of their duties in accordance with the Labour Code.
6.2. Each employee is also a representative of the company. Therefore in contact with customers and during the business meetings he behaves in such way as not to damage property and reputation of the company.
6.3. Each employee must be loyal to the company. In the public he provides only such information that is publicly available. It should not happen that an employee would slander management or individual employees or would give internal information to the customers or other people in terms of Work order of company Alfa print Ltd.
6.4. Each employee makes maximal effort to resolve all problems and conflicts within the company and not in public.
6.5. Each employee is obliged to prevent conflicts of interests. Conflict of interest arises when the employee’s activities or activities of his closest relatives affect his work in a negative way and threaten interests of the company.
6.6. If a conflict of interest arises or if the employee has doubts whether he/she comes into the conflict of interest, the employee submits a written application for a solution to the manager of the company.
6.7. The employees protect the company’s property and do not use it for private purposes. When using company phones, mobile phones, cars, computers etc. employees ensure observing of internal regulations. Since the work time is the property of the company, employees do not use it to deal with private matters or for various forms of entertainment.
6.8. None of the employees can use, on the company´s computers, software which is not bought legally.
6.9. Each employee must maintain the confidentiality of internal affairs of the company even after termination of the employment.
6.10. The employees must not give or receive bribes. They try to avoid such situation that would make them obligated to fulfil some person’s or company’s wishes to the detriment of the company. It is permitted to donate only company’s gifts which are intended for representation of the company. Receive a gift, with the exception of a financial gift, can be received from the others only if it has not a binding character and doesn’t exceed the sum of 40.00 Euros. If the gift exceeds the specified amount, the donee must report the acceptance of a gift to his supervisor. These gifts are recorded, stored in the personnel department and its further using is purposed according to nature of the gift.
6.11. If an employee is active in any political party or movement he/she does so as a private person and not as an employee of the company. Carrying out of private political activities in the area of the company or movement is unacceptable. The same goes for various forms of business activities.
6.12. If an employee manifests and develops affection to another employee of the opposite sex or the same sex it is considered as a breach of the Code of Ethics.

7. Ethics of communication

7.1. Communication of each employee of the company with the co-workers and customers is based on the respect of human dignity of another person on compliance with the Declaration of Human Rights and prohibition of any form of discrimination.
7.2. Each employee takes care to communicate with co-workers and customers in a tolerant, polite and honest manner.
7.3. Any form of physical, psychical or sexual harassment is inadmissible, including humiliation or defamation.
7.4. Each employee behaves in such way as not to cause conflicts in the workplace or in such a way as to avoid them. However if a problem or conflict arises in interpersonal relationships the employee is to make every effort to resolve this conflict in a peaceful and civilised manner.
7.5. Each employee avoids conflicts with customers. However, should a problem in communication with a customer arise and the employee is not able to resolve it himself, he/she shall immediately ask his/her supervisor for cooperation in resolving it.
7.6. Each employee strives to protect the reputation and interests of the company. He/she doesn’t enrich himself at the company’s expense. Each employee protects the intelectual and material property of the company. He/she uses it exclusively for work intention unless it is specified otherwise in written form.

8. Effectuality of the Code of Ethics

8.1. The Code of Ethics is binding for each employee of the company regardless of size, form of his work time as well as for all who represent the company or act on the company’s behalf.
8.2. Each employee must behave in such way as to avoid violation of the Code of Ethics.
8.3. Each employee who knows about a violation of the Code of Ethics is obliged to report it to his/her immediate supervisor, a higher supervisor or to an employee appointed to deal with ethical issues. The report may be given in written or verbal form.
8.4. The person who solves a violation of the Code of Ethics will not be penalised in any way. Whoever intentionally submits a false notice of violation of the Code of Ethics with the aim to damage a reputation of other person will be considered to be an offender of the Code of Ethics.
8.5. If the person, responsible to solve ethical issues, receives information about violation of the Code of Ethics he/she is required to deal with this notice quickly and take action to resolve the situation in a civilised manner.
8.6. Violation of the Code of Ethics shall be imposed according to the severity of the violation by the sanctions of the internal rules, work rules or other kind of sanctions under the provisions of the Labour Code.
8.7. In case of any misunderstanding, confusion or questions about the Code of Ethics it is possible to contact, in written form the person responsible to deal with ethical issues. That person is one of the company´s executives or a person authorised by the executive.
8.8. The Code of Ethics is valid and effective from 01.03.2014.
8.9. The Code of Ethics may be amended or supplemented at any time. The company´s executives are authorised to make amendments of the Code of Ethics, also according to the suggestion of other people.

Explanation of terms
Discrimination in employment relations

Discrimination in employment relations is defined as a putting of worker or a group of workers at disadvantage in recruitment, remuneration, career development, dismissal or other employment based on (for example: gender, age, marital status, sexual orientation, nationality, political affiliation, religion, but also health etc.) that are relevant to their job performance. Women and men have right to equal treatment as regards access to employment, remuneration and career growth, vocational training and working conditions. Women are guaranteed working conditions with respect to their physiological characteristics and with regard to their social function of motherhood. Both women and men are guaranteed working conditions with regard to their family obligations in the upbringing of children and care for them.
These rights belong to them without any restrictions and direct or indirect discrimination.

Code of Ethics

The Code of Ethics is one of the most widely used instruments through which companies guide the moral behaviour of its employees and managers. Code of Ethics performs several functions:

a) regulates the behaviour of employees
b) helps employees to avoid an illegal and immoral conduct
c) teaches everyone in the company to reflect on their own moral behaviour and the behaviour of other people
d) develops a moral reasoning
e) provides a guarantee to everyone in the company that others have to behave toward them in accordance with the defined moral standard
f) helps to resolve conflicts and moral situation in the workplace
g) it is a guarantee for customers, business partners and the public that the company cares for ethical behaviour and is a reliable partner

It is very important, that everyone in the company follows the Code of Ethics and the same goes also for those who act on the company’s behalf. Code of Ethics is based on the idea that moral thinking of the staff may change, that it is not given once and forever. The Code of Ethics is one of the mechanisms that helps to create and maintain a higher moral standard of behaviour within the company.

Conflict of interest

Conflict of interest is any situation where the private activities of the employee or his/her close relatives threaten the interests of the company. The Code of Ethics considers as a conflict of interest any business activity in polygraphic industry in which an employee performs work without the written consent of the employer. Employees must not engage in activities that constitute a conflict of interest. The employee must inform his/her employer about the fact that his family member is an employee or employer/owner of a competitor or a company with a similar object of activity.

Corruption

Corruption means such behaviour when someone receives an order, work, quick processing of their request and not based on publicly set rules and therefore not based on their qualities but only because they secretly provided certain amount of money or other benefit or service to someone who was making decisions about their case. Corruption is perpetrated by both sides which are thus circumventing the set rules and put other competitors at disadvantage.

Defamation

The Code of Ethics understands defamation as spreading of information about a person (or group of persons) which may be factually true, half-true or completely false in order to undermine or damage the reputation of the person. Therefore the person who gives truthful information about another person but through verbal or nonverbal communication makes them appear to be unreliable is also guilty of defamation.

Sexual harassment

Sexual harassment is defined as any form of behaviour which has sexual content or undertones and is not welcome by the other party. The Code of Ethics Alfa print Ltd. considers as sexual harassment direct sexual suggestion, any allusions to the sex life of another employee, jokes with erotic themes, any touches of another person if the person does not wish it, if it offends them or is for them psychologically or physically uncomfortable. Improper conduct of a sexual nature or other sexually based behaviour, which affects the dignity of women and men at work, including conduct of superiors and colleagues is unacceptable and prohibited. Harassment is such behaviour which causes or can cause the intimidation, shame, humiliation or insult of a person and the purpose or effect is or may be interference with freedom or human dignity.

Work Safety

Employees must comply with all safety rules of our company as well as safety rules of work, set out by the Slovak legislation. The company shall ensure training of its staff and expects compliance with all regulations. Violation of the rules of safety and protection by the work is considered a violation of the work discipline.

Environment

Harmony with the environment is a responsibility of every one of us. Employees work in accordance with the laws and regulations concerning of environmental protection.

Competition

We respect the laws regulating competitive relationships. We behave honestly toward our competition in accordance with good manners of competition and in the interest of good name of the whole industry. We respect the reputation of the competition and we deal with all competitors as with equal entities.

Privacy policy

All employees ensure that the use of databases and directories of our customers does not cause any harm to the consumer of our company and their use is in accordance with statutory provisions. Employees cooperate in the protection of personal data to the extent set out by the current law on personal data protection.

Work and transport of customer´s data

During the work with company´s data it is forbidden to provide this data to other people/ other than the authorised users and employees of the company Alfa print, Ltd./ to use this data in any form for private purposes, to send them on other equipment, per e-mail, to download on USB port. If necessary to download a document on the USB port, the employee can do it only with the written approval of his supervisor, the purpose of this needs to be stated as well.

Using of programmes / software

During the work time it is forbidden to use internet, work programms and other services for private purposes, as well as using of other work programmes. It is valid before and after the working time.

Examples of programmes:

a/ You tube – do not use
b/ Chat – do not use, only in case of working duties with the approval of supervisor c/ Games and their using of any character
c/ Games and their using of any character

Skype

Using of Skype through the assigned computer is allowed only for working purposes.

Theory of corporate social responsibility

It is a theory in business ethics, according to which the company is aware of its interrelatedness with its employees, customers, business partners, state, region, and the competition i.e. So with all groups that affect the company’s work and which the company also affects with its activity. The company recognizes, that it has a social responsibility toward these groups and openly proclimes to it.

Corporation as a citizen

It is one of the theories of business ethics according to which the company recognizes its roots in society. On one hand the company acts and behaves like a responsible citizen of a democratic and law abiding society and on the other hand the company itself is a democratic society and treats its employees as free citizens.

Board of Ethics

Board of Ethics is established as an institution whose members are also company executives and representatives of employees. The job of the Board is to deal with solving of ethical issues in relation to production, commercial and business activity of the printing company Alfa print. The Board of Ethics is an advisory body whose decisions and outcomes have the form of recommendations.

Conclusion

Moral obligation of an employee and employer and also the observing of rules set by this Code of Ethics commences on the day when the legal relationship between the employee and company starts as well as when the Code of Ethics is signed. The employee’s behaviour is governed by this Code throughout the duration of work for the company Alfa print Ltd. On the basis of moral obligation the employee assumes the obligation to fulfil the ethical standards of conduct and the company acquires the right to require such behaviour from the employee.
In Martin, on 1st March 2014