CODE OF ETHICS AND BUSINESS CONDUCT
The Board of Directors of San Nikolla Group (the "Company") has adopted this Code of Ethics (the "Code") for all of the Company's employees, directors, officers and agents ("Employees").
1. TOWARDS OUR EMPLOYEES
Every decision related to our employees will be based only on
job performance, skills, and other business‐related factors. Our
Company policy requires adherence to all national, state or
other local employment laws. We will not tolerate illegal
discrimination of any kind.
Discrimination and Harassment
We enforce a workplace that is free from discrimination and
harassment. Our Company policy applies appropriate measures to
prevent abusive or harassing behaviors conducted by our
employees towards others, such as unwelcome sexual advances,
comments based on ethnic, religious, or racial aspects. We
encourage employees to report harassment or other inappropriate
conduct as soon as it occurs.
Health and Safety
Our employees are asked to follow safety laws and regulations
applicable to their workplaces and also to report accidents,
concerns, dangerous or potentially dangerous situations.
Employees must not work under the influence of any substance
that would impair the safety of themselves or others.
Communication
We encourage employees to openly express opinions, suggestions,
or concerns they may have regarding the Company. We continually
provide information based on business results, product
performance and employee achievements.
Employee Privacy
We operate within a framework that respects the privacy of our
employees. We expect them to be conscious of the Company's
reputation as well as their own.
Disclosure
Employees are responsible for ensuring that the disclosure in
the Company's periodic reports is full, fair, accurate, timely
and understandable. In doing so, Employees shall take such
action as is reasonably appropriate to: (i) establish and comply
with disclosure controls and procedures and accounting and
financial controls that are designed to ensure that material
information relating to the Company is made known to them; (ii)
confirm that the Company's periodic reports comply with
applicable law, rules and regulations; and (iii) ensure that
information contained in the Company's periodic reports fairly
presents in all material respects the financial condition and
results of operations of the Company. Employees will not
knowingly: (i) make, or permit or direct another to make,
materially false or misleading entries in the Company's, or any
of its subsidiaries, financial statements or records; (ii) fail
to correct materially false and misleading financial statements
or records; (iii) sign, or permit another to sign, a document
containing materially false and misleading information; or (iv)
falsely respond, or fail to respond, to specific inquiries of
the Company's independent auditor or outside legal
counsel.
2. TOWARDS OUR CLIENTS, COMPETITORS, ENVIRONMENT
Towards Our Clients
Our policy is to build long-lasting relations with our customers
whom we consider the reason for our success. We aim to satisfy
our clients through completing their requirements and concerns
efficiently, fairly and equitably. Our policy also prohibits
giving or accepting kickbacks, bribes, inappropriate gifts and
other matters prohibited under the conflict-of-interest topic in
this Code.
Towards Our Competitors
We operate under a lawful and ethical basis and seek advantages
through superior performance. Our employees must keep business
information confidential and must not use improper or illegal
means of gaining competitive information that is proprietary
information owned by others.
Towards Our Environment
We enforce a workplace aligned with applicable laws and
regulations to protect the environment and provides additional
protection when we believe it is necessary. We apply
international practices in regions where laws and standards may
be incomplete, to ensure our objectives. We work with industry
associations, government agencies that match our standards and
regulations.
3. CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Compliance with Sound Accounting Practices and Record
Maintenance
All financial and other business information about our Company
must be accurately recorded, all financial records and
transactions must adhere to our system of internal controls and
accounting requirements, and no one shall enter any false or
artificial information in our records or reporting systems. All
Company information must be reported honestly and accurately,
whether in internal personnel, safety, or other information we
release to the public or government agencies.
Conflict of Interest and Related Matters
Employees are expected to make or participate in business
decisions and actions in the course of their employment with us
based on the best interests of our Company as a whole, and not
based on personal relationships or benefits. Our employees are
expected to apply sound judgment to avoid conflicts of interest
that could negatively affect our Company or its business,
whether or not we have specific rules for that particular
situation.
Gifts, Favors, Entertainment and Payments Received by
Employees
No gift or entertainment should ever be offered, given, provided
or accepted by any Company officer, director or employee or any
family member of such person, unless it: is not a cash gift, is
consistent with customary business practices, is not excessive
in value, cannot be construed as a bribe or payoff, would not
appear to create a conflict of interest and does not violate any
laws or regulations. An officer, director or employee should
discuss with their supervisor or the Company’s General Counsel
and gifts or proposed gifts or entertainment, which they are not
certain, are appropriate. No employee can accept anything of
value in exchange for the referral of third parties to any such
person or business organization.
Electronic Information Exchange
The electronic mail system, the intranet, internet access and
information technology assets are company-owned resources and
are provided to users for professional purposes only.
Corporate Assets
The abuse or misuse of company’s property leads to increased
costs and inconvenience to employees. So individually and
collectively they must show respect for and accept
responsibility for the proper use and protection of its assets
and facilities.
4. LEGAL COMPLIANCE GENERALLY
We expect our employees to be committed to pro‐active compliance
with all applicable laws and regulations affecting our Company
and its business.
In addition to the laws referred to elsewhere in this
Code.
• General Standard of Compliance: Our employees must comply with
all applicable laws and regulations applicable in every location
in which we conduct business. Competitive factors, personal
goals, and pressure from supervisors, customers or others shall
never be an acceptable excuse for violating applicable
laws.
• Prohibited Corrupt Practices: Our Company must comply with the
Albanian foreign corrupt practices act and other anti‐corruption
laws that apply wherever we do business. Our employees and
agents must not directly or indirectly offer or make a corrupt
payment to any domestic or foreign government officials or
employees of enterprises owned or controlled by a government
agency. Our employees must not engage in any form of fraud,
including but not limited to embezzlement, theft, hiding or
misuse of Company assets, or falsification of records.
• Prohibited Political Contributions: Unless first approved by
the Company’s Shareholders’ Assembly, none of our employees
shall contribute in our Company’s name or on our Company’s
behalf, any cash, services or property of any kind for or in
support of any political candidate, committee, initiate, or
activity. No lobbying efforts or contracts shall be undertaken
in our Company’s name or on our Company’s behalf without the
prior approval of the Company’s Shareholders’ Assembly.
• Import and Export Restrictions: Our Company and its employees
must comply with applicable restrictions under domestic and
foreign laws relating to importing or exporting technology,
products, services, or regulated information. Employees who
travel on Company’s business to foreign countries are expected
to know and abide by applicable import/export and similar
restrictions.
• Environmental Laws: We respect the policies and requirements
of domestic and foreign laws aimed at protecting the
environment. We expect a commitment from our employees to report
appropriately any violations of environmental laws and any
exposure to hazardous materials or substances which are not
being handled or disposed of properly.
• Intellectual Property Laws: We expect our employees to conduct
our business and use our business systems and facilities in
ways, which avoid any violations of copyright, trademark,
service mark, patent, trade secret or other intellectual
property rights held by third parties.
5. Confidentiality and Privacy
It is important that Employees protect the confidentiality of
Company information. Employees may have access to proprietary
and confidential information concerning the Company's business,
clients and suppliers. Confidential information includes such
items as non-public information concerning the Company's
business, financial results and prospects and potential
corporate transactions. Employees are required to keep such
information confidential during employment as well as
thereafter, and not to use, disclose, or communicate that
confidential information other than in the course of employment.
The consequences to the Company and the Employee concerned can
be severe where there is unauthorized disclosure of any
non-public, privileged or proprietary information.
To ensure the confidentiality of any personal information
collected and to comply with applicable laws, any Employee in
possession of non-public, personal information about the
Company's customers, potential customers, or Employees, must
maintain the highest degree of confidentiality and must not
disclose any personal information unless authorization is
obtained
6. Reporting
Employees shall take all appropriate action to stop any known misconduct by fellow Employees that violate this Code. Employees shall report any known or suspected misconduct to Company, as well as any concerns regarding questionable matters.
7. Code review
The review of the Code is approved by the Shareholders’ Assembly
of San Nikolla Shpk, upon the proposal of the Administrator of
the company, after hearing the opinion of the Compliance
Committee, Audit and Risk Committee. The proposal is made taking
into consideration the Stakeholders’ evaluation concerning the
principles and contents of the Code, promoting their active
contribution and the notification of any deficiency.
Contractual value of the Code Respect of the Code’s rules is an
essential part of the contractual obligations of all San
Nikolla’s People under and in accordance with applicable law.
Any violation of the Code’s principles and content may be
considered a violation of the primary obligations included in
the work contract or disciplinary misconduct, with the
consequences specified by the law with regard to the
continuation of the employment relationship and may cause the
payment of damages for any loss resulting from the violation.