In the summer of 2012, we repositioned the entire compliance organisation. We defined clear processes that allow us to ensure adherence to internal and external regulations. We have summarised these regulations and rules in a Code of Conduct. It goes beyond the statutory requirements. The underlying philosophy is: not everything that is legal is also legitimate. You can find the Code of Conduct in the Corporate Responsibility section of our Group website at www.uniqagroup.com.
The Code of Conduct governs how employees deal with one another and how they interact with customers, suppliers and other partners.
It governs the acceptance and giving of gifts, secondary employment, donations, anti-discrimination and much more. We have also launched an initiative aimed at protecting the privacy of our customers and to ensure improved data protection.
An important aspect of this initiative is the prevention of corruption and money laundering. The Code of Conduct is committed to promoting transparency as well as honest and ethical business practices. An important element of our Code of Conduct relates to how we deal with confidential information and the strict adherence to competition rules. This avoids possible conflicts of interest arising from secondary employment. Little of this is new: practically all the content of the Code of Conduct was already applicable and actively implemented by us in the past. These rules are now clearly documented and defined in a binding manner.
Helping sustainably
We've said it before: Sustainability means much more to us than sponsoring social initiatives or environmental projects. However, both are important to us – and when we offer our support, we do so in a sustainable manner. Two examples:
- The social day: starting in 2013, employees who get involved in a social project are rewarded with an additional day's holidays. These freely selectable projects are intended to be operated by official institutions or private initiatives that require support.
- Vital4Brain: we have been supporting the Vital4Brain project since 2012. This is a programme in which schoolchildren carry out simple but effective movement exercises during the school day. In addition to creating a more relaxed atmosphere in the classroom, it also promotes concentration and is healthy. UNIQA supports the initiative with non-cash assistance, sponsorship and by training VitalCoaches throughout Austria (www.vital4brain.at).
