Why is Integrity Important?
Integrity is at the heart of everything we do at Oil Analysis Laboratories (OAL). The trust our customers lend us should never be taken for granted. Both as a business as individuals, we should continually be looking for ways to build it further.
As prominent innovators in our industry, we hold ourselves to the highest standards of professional behaviour. Our Code of Integrity is the expression of values shared throughout OAL.
We aim to attract and retain employees passionate about delivering their work with leadership, fairness, and honesty to achieve our aims. We recognise that we have a responsibility to each other, our suppliers and our customers to uphold our principles of integrity.
As part of this commitment, we encourage an open culture where we can freely exchange ideas and information, seek advice and raise concerns without any fear of retaliation.
What does Integrity mean to OAL?
- Trust: we should always remember this is something that can take years to build but seconds to be broken and with this in mind it should always be nurtured and safeguarded day after day.
- Honesty and transparency: in everything that we do, we first need to be truthful to ourselves and the work we perform. Only through that can we extend this to our customers and colleagues. No matter how tempting it may feel, no circumstances justify lies, deceit or a lack of honesty. We as colleagues of those upholding these values should always commend honesty of our colleagues, especially in difficult circumstances.
- Fariness: we believe in acting ethically and with respect for others at all times. We act by what is the right thing to do and should act in a way we are doing this in the presence of people we respect and think would they approve of our actions?
Integrity is about asking yourself questions.
- Do I suspect a choice may be illegal or unethical?
- Would I be happy with my choice being reported on the BBC News headlines?
- Would people I admire such as family and friends approve of such actions?
- Is it likely to achieve the aims of this choice I would have to lie or be untruthful?
- Could the proposed course of action endanger the personal safety or health of you or others?
If your potential choice fails any of these proposed courses of action, you should re-consider your action and speak to your colleagues and manager about potential alternative solutions.
Seeking support
When in doubt about the meaning of the Code or its application to specific circumstances, employees should discuss with their supervisor or manager how best to address the issue with integrity. In your induction pack, you will find details of how to anonymously raise concerns you may have.
Conflicts of interest
Conflicts of interest, or the possible appearance of a conflict of interest, must be avoided at all times. OAL employees are expected to declare to their line manager as soon as they become aware that their personal interests or the personal interests of their close relatives or close friends may potentially conflict with the interests of OAL. The next few paragraphs explain some potential examples of serious conflicts of interest, which are prohibitted.
Personal Dealing and Investments
- Personally offering or participating in any form of professional or consultancy services to a customer or prospective customer of OAL.
- Competing with OAL or working for a competitor of OAL.
- Knowingly engaging the services of a supplier or sub-contractor of OAL in which an employee or a close relative directly or indirectly has a significant shareholding or other financial interest.
- Making a personal investment in a supplier, sub-contractor, competitor or customer of OAL is not permitted, unless by way of acquiring shares on a publicly traded stock exchange up to a maximum percentage of 0.5% value of the publicly held business.
Bribery and Corruption
OAL does not engage in bribery or corruption of any form. Employees, or anyone acting on behalf of OAL, must not offer or make payments to government officials, directly or indirectly, offer gifts or entertainment with the aim of influencing decisions, or to secure an improper advantage for OAL. This applies equally to officers and employees of private entities.
Any OAL employee who receives a demand for a bribe must report the matter immediately to his/her line manager. No OAL employee will be penalised for refusing to offer or take a bribe. An OAL senior manager will raise this to a senior party at the company or entity the requester represented, and if a retraction of the request is not made or a full explanation of any miscommunication if potential language barriers exist, OAL reserve the right to not renew current contracts or participate in further tendering processes with the party or business involved.
Gifts and Entertainment
Principles
No gifts, hospitality or entertainment should be offered or accepted if they unfairly influence or create the appearance of an improper influence over business decisions.
Gifts and hospitality shall not exceed what is usual in normal business relations either in giving or receiving. Any form of entertainment that could be damaging to the reputation of OAL must be avoided and any entertainment must be appropriate for the local country customs and traditions.
Gifts offered to OAL Employees
OAL employees must never accept:
- Payment of cash or loans from suppliers or customers.
- Employees involved in decisions on procurement or selection of suppliers must not accept personal gifts offered by suppliers or potential new suppliers. Usual hospitality and entertainment, including participation in trade fairs and exhibitions and similar professional events which are sponsored by suppliers or customers is acceptable. Equally refreshments during business meetings is also permitted and anything that would be considered normal polite business practices such as free gift pens are also permitted.
Fair Competition
OAL operates with normal competitive and fair market practices. It does not engage with competitors with the effect of biasing or improperly influencing the markets in which it operates.
This includes not discussing pricing or competitive bid processes with competitors.
OAL does not promote or market its services and capabilities in a deceptive or misleading way. It does not participate in making untruthful allegations regarding competitors.
Employee Working Environment
No Discrimination
All OAL employees must be treated and evaluated solely on their job-related skills, qualifications, behaviour and performance. Race, colour, gender, religion, political affiliation, nationality, sexual orientation, social class, age or disability should never be used for evaluation. Discrimination based on any of these criteria is never tolerated.
Bullying & Harrassment
All employees have a right to feel safe and comfortable in their working environment. Any form of abuse, harassment or bullying is prohibited. All employees are expected to treat their fellow employees with respect. This should also be extended to our customers and suppliers and any other business relations. If improper employee conditions or working practices are observed with our suppliers and sub-contractors these will be raised with these companies immediately and if not rectified immediately, OAL reserve the right to prevent the supplier bidding in any tenders or procurement processes in future until such concerns are rectified.
OAL complies with applicable laws in the countries where it does business. Legislation covering various aspects of OAL’s activities can be complex. Employees need to know the rules that apply to OAL and to them as individuals. If in doubt, legal advice must be sought from OAL legal resources. Ignorance of the law is no excuse.
When this Code or OAL policies impose more stringent standards than those mandated by applicable laws, employees must comply with the more stringent standards. When in doubt as to how to resolve a contradiction between this Code and applicable laws, employees should seek guidance.
In the course of OAL business, employees may be contacted by regulatory agencies or government officials in relation to an enquiry involving OAL. In the event of non-routine requests for information or documentation, employees must seek advice from OAL legal resources. Under no circumstances should anyone acting on behalf of OAL attempt to mislead, conceal evidence, destroy documents or otherwise obstruct any legitimate investigation.
Implementation of the policies within the framework of the law
The integrity policy of OAL should form a part of our day to day operations as a business. This should be taken as not the entirety of how business operations should be performed as they must also comply with UK laws, which each employee should adhere to and implement the policies of OAL in the framework of UK law.