Our guidelines in doing business l Teijin Aramid

Governance

Our guidelines in doing business

Our parent company has signed the UN Global Compact, a set of guidelines encouraging businesses worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies. Ethical transactions, renouncing child labor and corruption, respecting human rights, providing good working conditions and paying fair wages, and caring for the environment are important elements of these guidelines.

Code of Conduct
The UN Global Compact is the starting point for our Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct is a set of organizational rules and standards regarding Teijin Aramid’s values and beliefs. It embodies our ethical principles and rules of behavior. It also includes matters of legal compliance. All of our employees are expected to behave in accordance with the Code of Conduct.

The key points in our Code of Conduct are:

Together
Environment, safety and health
Integrity
Joy at Work
INnovation

You can read our Teijin_Aramid_Code_of_Conduct_ here.

Exclusionary criteria
To aid our employees in their work and decisions, we have developed several exclusionary criteria that apply to any end products that contain our yarns and fibers, as well as to commercial trading partners.

We do not do business with:

Organizations that have demonstrably or systematically violated the law, conventions, or codes of conduct, or that are involved in financial, environmental, and/or social scandals.
Organizations found guilty of using forced labor, child labor, or other violations of human rights, and organizations that demonstrably and systematically discriminate on the basis of race, gender, or religious belief, that demonstrably and systematically impede union activities, that allow their personnel to work in bad or unhealthy working conditions, or that underpay their personnel.
Organizations that use animal testing for the development of non-medical products when there are alternatives.
Dictatorial and oppressive regimes. Teijin Aramid subscribes to the guidelines as set out in Norms on the responsibility of transnational corporations and other business enterprises with regard to human rights (United Nations, 2003).

Suppliers
We also expect our suppliers to work in accordance with these guidelines. We ask our important suppliers of raw materials, additives, and technical materials to sign a CSR declaration. Signing this declaration indicates that they meet our standards for environmental management and ethics, which are based on the guidelines of the UN Global Compact and the International Labour Organization.

Speak up, please
We do business in a sustainable and socially responsible way, committed to integrity and accountability. You as our customer, supplier or other stakeholder are requested to speak up, if you become aware of, or suspect any unethical behavior from our side. Please send our Risk & Compliance Officer an email via speakup@teijinaramid.com so we can investigate the situation and decide on follow-up actions.

By speaking up, you will give our organization a chance to improve, therefore it is highly appreciated.

Relevant Committees

Works Council

For the Management Team of any company, it is essential to listen to the views and ideas of your employees. The Works Council (OR) is the official employee body in this regard.

Our Works Council (OR) consists of 15 members from all locations in the Netherlands. At our Wuppertal site, the Works Council (Betriebsrat) plays a similar role, but also serves as confidential advisor. In Wuppertal, the Works Council consists of five members.

Confidential Counselors and Complaint Committee

In addition, Teijin Aramid has confidential Counselors and a Complaint Committee, for situations that can impede an employee’s work, such as discrimination, harassment or bullying, or conflicts at work.

Counselors are employees of Teijin Aramid that have been trained in their role. They will keep all reports confidential and are protected against retaliation. Counselors are present at each site. Furthermore, Teijin Aramid has appointed one Counselor from outside the company, so employees can choose who to speak up to.

Complaints that cannot be resolved through discussion with a supervisor or Counselor can be submitted to the Complaint Committee. This Committee consists of three members from the Teijin Aramid organization, including one that is appointed by the Works Council. They have been trained in their role and are also protected against retaliation. The interests of all people involved are taken into account when investigating the complaint. Complaints are handled confidentially pursuant to the Regulations of the Complaint Committee.

Ethics Committee

We encourage our employees to discuss any ethical dilemmas with their colleagues or supervisor. Within Teijin Aramid, we have an Ethics Committee that monitors compliance with the Code of Conduct. The members of this Committee have accepted a duty of confidentiality and can be approached anonymously. Serious dilemmas can be discussed with this committee.

SpeakUp Line

We foster an environment in which everyone at Teijin Aramid feels safe to speak up directly to the various speak up channels within our organization. All reports will be investigated with due care and keeping the interests of everyone involved in mind.

However, circumstances might require anonymity. In that case, employees can use the Speak Up Line. This is an interface, through which the communication between Teijin Aramid and the person speaking up is established. Transcripts of phone calls or web messages from the reporter are anonymously forwarded to the Risk & Compliance, who will decide on the follow-up actions. The backlogging of the Speak Up Line makes it possible to include the reporter anonymously in this process.

Supervisory Board

The Supervisory Board of Teijin Aramid supervises the policies of the Management Team (officially, “the Board of Directors”) and the company’s general state of affairs. Teijin Aramid is a full subsidiary of Teijin BV Holding Netherlands, which in turn is a full subsidiary of the Japan-based company, Teijin Ltd.

The composition of the Supervisory Board is as follows:

K. Kataoka – serving since April 1, 2017
President & CEO of Teijin Holdings Netherlands BV
M. Shimai – serving since April 1, 2017
General manager of Material Business Strategic Planning and Control Division
J.C. Breen (b. 1947) – serving since October 9, 2003
Member of the Supervisory Board of Van Leeuwen Buizen Groep B.V.
Chairman of the Supervisory Boards of Ahrend N.V. and Koninklijke Smilde B.V.
P.J.L. Stello – serving since April 1, 2017
Managing Director form the firm QEW, Engineered Rubber
R.E. Scholten (b. 1958) – serving since July 1, 2009
President of Toho-Tenax Europe GmbH

Mr. Stello was appointed in accordance with the standing rules upon his nomination by the Works Council (Ondernemingsraad, OR). He represents the Council and maintains contact with the Works Council members.

Mr. Breen and Mr. Stello together form the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee focuses on the reporting of our financials. They monitor the internal controls and meet once a year with our external auditor to discuss the results, guaranteeing the independence of the external auditor.