CODE OF ETHICS POLICY STATEMENT
Wallner Expac, Inc. maintains certain policies to guide its employees with respect to standards of conduct expected in areas where improper activities could damage the Company’s reputation and otherwise result in serious adverse consequences to the Company and to employees involved. The purpose of this Policy is to set forth standards of conduct and practices with respect to certain types of payments and political contributions.
Disregard of the principles of this Policy will be grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including termination. No language in this policy shall be construed to affect an employee’s at-will employment status.
STATEMENT OF POLICY
Prohibition of Improper Payments
The Company expects all employees to use only legitimate practices in commercial operations and in promoting the Company position on issues before governmental authorities. As stated below, “kickbacks” or “bribes” intended to induce or reward favorable buying decisions and governmental actions are unacceptable and prohibited.
No employee of the Company or any Controlled Affiliate acting on the Company’s behalf shall offer or make directly or indirectly through any other person or firm any payment of anything of value (in the form of compensation, gift, contribution or otherwise) to:
In utilizing consultants, agents, sales representatives or others, the Company will employ only reputable, qualified individuals or firms under compensation arrangements, which are reasonable in relation to the services performed. Wallner Expac will from time to time, issue criteria and procedures to be utilized in international transactions with respect to the selection and compensation of sales representatives. Consultants, agents or representatives retained in relation to the provision of goods or services to the federal government must agree to comply with all laws, regulations and Company policies governing employee conduct.
The provisions of this section are not intended to apply to ordinary and reasonable business entertainment or gifts not of substantial value that are considered customary in local business relationships and are permitted by the relevant law. In some countries (but not in all countries – and particularly not in the United States), it may be acceptable to make such insubstantial gifts to minor government officials in order to expedite or secure routine administrative action required in the orderly conduct of operations. Managers are expected to exercise sound discretion and control in authorizing such business entertainment and gifts.
When customer organizations, governmental agencies, or others have published policies intended to provide guidance with respect to acceptance of entertainment, gifts, or other business courtesies by their employees, such policies shall be respected.
Political Contributions
The Company will not make any contribution to any political party or to any candidate for political office in support of such candidacy except as provided in this Policy and as permitted by law.
In the United States, federal law strictly controls corporate involvement in the federal political process. Generally, federal law provides that no corporation may contribute anything of value to any political party or candidate in connection with any federal election.
While similar laws apply in some states and their political subdivisions, in many jurisdictions in the United States corporate contributions to candidates and political parties in connection with state and local election campaigns are lawful.
The laws governing participation by corporations in the political process of countries other than the United States vary widely. In certain countries, contributions to the political process (including contributions to political parties) are lawful and expected as a matter of good corporate citizenship.
In foreign jurisdictions and in state and local jurisdictions of the United States where corporate political contributions are lawful, contributions by the Company or by a Controlled Affiliate may be appropriate if prudent in amount and otherwise consistent with good judgment. Company contributions shall be governed by written guidelines established by the Company. Contributions by a Controlled Affiliate shall also be governed by written guidelines or some other form of written authority, as established by the Controlled Affiliate’s Board of Directors. Any contribution by the Company or by a Controlled Affiliate shall comply in all respects with the provisions of the applicable law and shall be reported as part of the annual review process provided by this Policy.
This Policy is not intended to prevent the communication of Company views to legislators, governmental agencies, or to the general public with respect to existing or proposed legislation or governmental policies or practices affecting business operations. Moreover, under this Policy, reasonable costs incurred by the Company to establish or administer political action committees or activities organized to solicit voluntary political contributions from individual employees are not regarded as contributions to political parties or candidates, where the Company may lawfully incur such costs.
Reports and Periodic Reviews
Any employee who is requested to make, authorize, or agree to any offer or payment which is, or may be, contrary to this Policy must promptly report such information to his or her manager, to Human Resources, or to the manager having responsibility for said financial activity.
Any employee who acquires information (for example, newspaper reports, reports from customers, or statements of individuals involved) that gives the employee reason to believe that any employee is engaged in conduct forbidden by this Policy, or that any sales representative, distributor, company or other person or firm representing the Company in any transaction is engaged in the type of conduct (whether or not in connection with a transaction involving the Company or its products) which, if engaged in by an employee of the Company, would violate this Policy, must promptly report such information to the employee’s manager, to Human Resources, or to the manager having responsibility for said financial activity.
Any manager receiving a report as cited above will promptly report to and consult with his or her supervisor and thereafter will, after appropriate investigation, take timely remedial or other action as warranted under the provisions of this Policy.
COMPLIANCE WITH THE ANTITRUST LAWS
For many years Wallner Expac, Inc. has recognized a need to single out compliance with the antitrust laws of the United States and other countries as a subject requiring a specific Company policy. The antitrust laws are relevant to many business decisions, and the consequences of violations can be seriously injurious to the Company and to the individuals involved.
Several provisions of the antitrust laws of the United States contain penal provisions under which employees who authorize or engage in acts in violation of such laws are personally subject to substantial fines and imprisonment. There are also a number of antitrust decrees affecting the Company and its employees. Violation of any one of the provisions of these decrees is an offense, which may subject the Company and the individuals involved to severe penalties.
Officers, managers and other key employees are expected to develop in employees a sense of commitment to comply with this policy. These key employees must ensure antitrust compliance in their assigned areas of responsibility. Such compliance will be a significant factor in evaluating the quality of that individual’s performance.
Statement of Policy
It is the objective of the Company:
In furtherance of this Policy and specifically in furtherance of compliance with Section I of the Sherman Act:
A. No employee shall enter into any understanding or agreement – whether expressed or implied, formal or informal, written or oral – with a competitor, limiting or restricting any of the following aspects of the competitive strategy of either party or of the business offering of either party to any third party or parties:
B. No employee shall enter into any understanding or agreement with a purchaser or lessee of a product sold or leased by the Company, which restricts the right of the purchaser or lessee to determine the price at which to resell or lease such product, nor shall any employee enter into such an agreement when the Company is the purchaser or lessee of a product.
C. The following may be violations of the antitrust laws under certain circumstances and may be entered into by an employee of the Company only if the agreement has been reviewed by Company legal counsel in advance of execution and in the opinion of counsel is not in violation of law:
Discussions and Exchange of Information with Competitors
No employee shall discuss with a competitor or any third party acting for a competitor, or otherwise furnish to or accept from a competitor or any third party acting for a competitor, information on any subject as to which an understanding with the competitor is prohibited by paragraph A of the Statement of Policy set forth above, unless, in the opinion of Company legal counsel, such discussions or transmittal of information would neither violate the antitrust laws nor furnish a reasonable basis for inferring such a violation. This paragraph does not preclude obtaining competitive information from independent third-party sources who are not acting for a competitor in transmitting the information. However, certain other legal and policy restrictions applicable to transactions with the federal government limit the competitive information that may be obtained from a third-party source.
Participation in Trade Associations and Other Meetings with Competitors
A. No employee shall attend or remain present:
B. Employees should also be aware that participation in standard development and product certification activities, which impact competitors or suppliers, may raise antitrust concerns. Before participating in committees or organizations, which develop standards or certify products, employees should consult with Human Resources.
Violations of the Policy
A. Violations of the Policy may be grounds for discharge or other disciplinary action, dependent upon the precise circumstances of the particular violation and having as a primary objective furtherance of the Company’s interest in preventing violations and making clear that violations are neither tolerated nor condoned.
B. Disciplinary action will be taken, not only against individuals who authorize or participate directly in a violation of the Policy, but also against:
C. Where an employee is accused of violating antitrust laws, and the employee has relied in good faith on the Company’s advice after full disclosure of the material facts, no disciplinary action may be taken against the employee under this Policy; and the Company may, within the limits permitted by law, assist in the employee’s defense.
Reports and Periodic Reviews
A. Any employee who is requested to engage in any activity which is or may be contrary to this Policy will promptly report such information to the manager whom the individual reports to, or, if the employee was so directed by the manager, then to the Human Resources Department.
B. Any employee who acquires information that gives the employee reason to believe that any other employee is engaged in conduct forbidden by the Policy will promptly report such information to the manager to whom the employee reports or, if the manager is engaged in such conduct, then to the Human Resources Department.
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