Our Ethical & Sustainable Business Partners

OUR GOAL

At United Group, we’re committed to minimizing our environmental impact and investing in positive social change. Our business partners and supply chain (Suppliers) play a key role in achieving this goal.

That’s why we expect them to share our commitment to the ethical, safe, and responsible business practices outlined in our Supplier Code of Conduct.

 

RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS ALLIANCE  

United Group is a member of the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA), the world’s largest industry coalition committed to improve efficiency and social, ethical, and environmental responsibility in the global supply chain.

As a member of RBA, we acknowledge the RBA Code of Conduct, have implemented its requirements in our Supplier Code of Conduct, and fully supports the RBA’s vision and goals. 

 

HOW OUR SUPPLIERS MUST ACT

Our Supplier Code of Conduct clearly sets out the standards we expect our suppliers to meet to ensure safe working conditions, fair worker treatment, and responsible environmental practices, as well as to uphold the highest standards of ethics by, for example, rejecting commercial bribery, competing fiercely, and respecting applicable data protection laws.

The Code is aligned with social-responsibility standards from the RBA Code of Conduct, international law, recognized ethical standards, responsible business principles and best practice, including the International Labor Organisation Conventions, the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. 

For more information, see our full Supplier Code of Conduct.

Link to Supplier Code of Conduct

 

REPORTING CONCERNS

United Group suppliers and their employees are expected to escalate suspicious activities, red flags, or violations of the Supplier Code of Conduct to United Group's Compliance function via our Integrity Helpline Program.

The concern can be related to any area of the Supplier Code of Conduct, including Labor, Health & Safety, Environmental, Bribery & Corruption, Competition and Data Protection laws.

We will follow up any credible allegation that a breach of the Supplier Code of Conduct, our policies or the law may have taken place and prohibit any discrimination or retaliation against individuals who report suspected violations in good faith.

While investigating reasonable concerns, the responsible team will respect privacy laws, confidentiality and the rights of the individuals involved.

 

AUDITS AND REMEDIATION

United Group uses a risk assessment methodology in selecting new suppliers and we actively work with them to improve their social, environmental, and health and safety performance by setting written KPIs, targets and implementation plans.

We also perform periodic assessments of performance in achieving those objectives and verify adherence to our Supplier Code of Conduct. If we identify any deficiencies, we expect our Suppliers and Business Partners to remediate them within a reasonable timeline and work with them to develop an effective corrective action plan.

 

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