The company’s core values
This Code of Ethics of the business company OTK printing & packaging a.s., ID 171 00 950, with registered office at Plynárenská 233, Kolín IV, 280 02 Kolín (hereinafter referred to as “Company” or “OTK”) expresses the basic principles and expectations for the conduct of the Company’s employees, as well as the main principles of the Company itself.
This Code of Conduct governs in particular the Company’s conduct towards its employees
and employees to each other, to customers and business partners and to other third parties.
Guiding principles
- Customer interest, customer satisfaction and professionalism in customer relations,
- honest and fair conduct in business cooperation,
- responsibility, discretion and loyalty,
- Respect for and compliance with the rule of law,
- a positive, safe and friendly working environment,
- mutual respect, consideration and tolerance for colleagues,
- cost-effectiveness and environmental protection,
- compliance with free (open) competition on the market, not using unfair commercial practices,
- promoting and adhering to the CSR model, the UN Global Compact culture and ethical conduct.
The foregoing principles are applicable to all employees of the Company and members of the Company’s elected bodies and this Code of Conduct is a separate part of the Company’s Rules of Procedure.
Leaders and employees in management positions carry greater responsibility, lead their teams through exemplary behaviour and create an environment where honesty, integrity and loyalty are promoted as fundamental human qualities.
No employee may or will be encouraged or requested to take any action that is in direct contravention of this Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct is one of the Company’s basic internal guidelines, to which certain other regulations are linked.
The Company is entitled to monitor compliance with the Code of Conduct and regularly assesses the conduct of individual employees in relation to the Company’s values. Violations of the obligations and principles set out in this Code of Conduct may be understood as a breach of duties related to the work performed, with all the consequences arising from the relevant employment relationship, which may lead to termination of employment.
Violation of the obligations or principles of this Code of Conduct shall only create a liability relationship of a specific employee towards the Company and shall not in itself create any liability of the Company or a specific employee towards third parties or public authorities.
Ethical rules in the company’s relationship with third parties
The company fulfils its corporate social responsibility and applies the principles that underpin fundamental human rights.
The Company acts with respect for third parties, i.e. employees, customers, suppliers and other third parties. Respect is demonstrated by treating all people as equals, non-discrimination, transparency, and recognizing people based on what they do and who they are.
The company remains responsive, i.e. it listens to its employees and business partners, finds out their needs and tries to meet them in the best possible way. The company strives to achieve goals for its employees and customers, focusing on good results.
The Company relies on its suppliers and business partners and offers all entities fair competition to work with the Company. The Company’s selection of suppliers and business partners is a reflection of how the Company manages its business and the values it holds.
Company’s reputation and public perception of the Company, media communication
The company prides itself on its name, reputation, perception and standing in society. Applying a professional approach in all the Company’s activities contributes to the Company’s reputation.
The perception of the Company is strongly influenced by media communication and the Company’s position in the media. For these reasons, the Company’s official media communication is entirely the responsibility of the Company’s CEO. The Company expects other employees not to communicate on behalf of the Company in online and offline media, including public forums and social media, without prior approval of the communication by the Company’s CEO.
Customer focus
Because the Company strives to create long-term relationships with its customers, its approach is professional, with sufficient skills and know-how, and is characterized by openness and respect for others. Such behaviour is expected of every employee. The Company’s goal is to treat customers with honesty, integrity, courtesy and friendliness.
Team and cooperation
The Company’s success depends to a significant extent on the quality and level of communication and cooperation between employees. The Company expects its employees to be friendly and open with their colleagues, to show respect and to build team spirit. The Company is then committed to creating an environment and conditions for its employees in which these rules of conduct can be easily met.
Political and religious neutrality of the Company
The company welcomes employees to engage in sports, culture, scientific research or leisure activities in their free time. However, in such activities, employees may not, under any circumstances, pose as employees of the Company. This also applies to any political or religious activities.
The Company does not advocate political, religious or other ideological agitation in the workplace or towards its customers, and communicates its views or opinions in these areas principally through the Company’s Chief Executive Officer.
Ethical rules within the employee’s relationship with the company
The Company can only comply with the rules governing the Company’s business if the Company’s employees comply with the rules governing their work.
Employees act as representatives of the Company and act on behalf of the Company in their work. Any act committed by an employee towards third parties may be attributable to the Company and shall be treated as if committed by the Company. For these reasons, Employees need to perceive their position and relationship with the Company to maintain loyalty and act responsibly.
The Company’s principles of operation and rules of conduct are implemented through the Company’s employees.
Conflict of interest and acceptance of gifts
The company expects a high level of employee loyalty and the related ability of employees to distinguish the boundary between their professional and private life. Employees are required to act independently and in the best interests of the Company at all times and to avoid conflicts between their interests or those of persons close to them and the interests of the Company.
If an employee is placed in a position that could be assessed as a conflict of interest, he/she is obliged to contact his/her immediate supervisor, report and describe the situation. He/she is not authorized to take any further action in this situation without a statement from the employee’s supervisor.
Employees are obliged to refuse any interference, pressure, influence, wish or request that could affect the impartiality of their decision-making in matters of customers or business partners.
Employees may not offer and/or provide benefits to customers other than those consistent with the Company’s applicable terms and conditions. It is not permissible for any employee to compromise his/her personal independence by accepting funds by way of loan, credit or otherwise from customers, suppliers or business partners, or to provide funds to such third parties in his/her personal capacity in such ways.
An employee is not entitled to accept a gift or any other token of favour whose real value exceeds CZK 5,000. An employee may never accept or give gifts in the form of cash. An employee is not authorised to act on behalf of the Company and on its behalf without its knowledge.
and prior consent of the Company, to make any gift or expression of favour to third parties.
The employee is obliged to avoid any conduct that could constitute a breach of competition rules (for example, entering into illegal agreements with suppliers or unfair competition).
Any non-work relationship between employees must not interfere with the employee’s or team’s work performance.
Protection of Company assets, compliance with the mandate
Each employee is required to exercise a reasonable degree of care and diligence in handling Company property and each employee is responsible for protecting Company property entrusted to him or her for the purpose of performing his or her work. Company property includes all tangible assets such as equipment, facilities, goods or funds.
Employees are also required to protect intangible parts of the company’s assets, such as intellectual property, know-how, trade secrets and inside information.
The Company’s assets may only be used for business purposes and the resources provided may only be used in accordance with the law. All employees are required to keep their workplace and its surroundings in good order.
When negotiating contractual relationships with the Company’s partners, responsible employees are obliged to consider the risks of entering into a contractual relationship, including checking the contractual partner in available public registers (e.g. insolvency register or register of unreliable taxpayers). The Responsible Employee shall draw the Company’s attention to any risks of entering into the contractual relationship.
In business relations, the Company is always represented by a specific employee who deals directly with the customer and establishes long-term business relationships with them. All signing, decision-making or approval authority and trading limits must be observed. An employee may only enter into, make decisions or approve commitments on behalf of the Company for which he has been granted approval powers within the scope of his authority.
Private business of employees outside working hours
The Company respects the private activities of employees outside working hours provided that such business activities do not interfere with the employee’s personal independence and loyalty.
The employee is therefore obliged to conduct his/her private business outside of working hours outside of the Company’s employment relationship, in accordance with generally binding labour regulations, the employment contract and the Company’s internal regulations. The employee may not engage in such private business activities that could lead to a conflict between the employee’s personal interests and the interests of the Company.
Protection of data and internal information
In the course of their work, employees may come into contact with the Company’s inside information, i.e. information that is not generally available to the public. Employees are required to maintain the confidentiality of such information and may not use it in any way outside the Company, in an unauthorized manner or in a manner detrimental to the Company.
The relationship with the customer is based on mutual trust and confidentiality. The Company and its employees make decisions based on complete and truthful information. All information relating to customers or suppliers is subject to confidentiality.
The Company’s internal information and information relating to customers, suppliers or third parties will be treated as confidential and all such information will be protected against misuse, leakage, use, disclosure, alteration or destruction. All information may be used only for the purpose for which it was obtained.
Employees must not allow unauthorised persons access to the Company’s premises or information systems. Employees shall not enter erroneous or misrepresented data into the Company’s information systems and shall not conceal any data relevant to decision making.
The company ensures strict compliance with data protection regulations. Personal data is collected and processed only to the extent necessary, with the maximum degree of organizational and technical protection and security, and all procedures comply with legal regulations.
Reporting rule violations
Employees may make mistakes in the performance of their duties, whether negligent or deliberate. Such mistakes must be openly communicated so that similar misconduct can be prevented in the future and so that the Company and other colleagues can learn from these mistakes.
For the purpose of reporting violations pursuant to Act No. 171/2023 Coll., on the protection of whistleblowers, the Company has established a secure whistleblowing channel and employees may report violations of law in accordance with the aforementioned Act and the internal whistleblowing directive. The Company guarantees employees that they will not be retaliated against for making a report of wrongdoing.
Under no circumstances should an employee attempt to personally conduct an investigation, conduct interviews, investigations or contact with “suspicious” persons.
Ethical rules in human resources management
Equal treatment and non-discrimination
The Company prohibits any form of direct or indirect discrimination or disparate treatment of employees or customers on the basis of race, gender, status, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, religion, or any other discriminatory reason. It is also prohibited to discriminate against employees and customers in relation to products and services offered, access to employment, terms and conditions of employment, training, promotion or job assignment.
The company sees a helpful and friendly working environment and collegiality as a prerequisite for doing a good job, which is why it is forbidden to all employees:
- exert undue pressure or influence on another employee,
- to make offensive remarks,
- Act in a manner that undermines the integrity or dignity of other colleagues in the workplace,
- to gang up on other colleagues,
- Bully, harass or sexually harass colleagues,
- to abuse his position in relation to his colleagues.
The company creates working conditions for its employees so that they can perform their work effectively within the working hours.
Wherever possible the employee will be employed under a contract of employment. Agreements for work outside the employment relationship, fixed-term contracts or other legal forms will be used only exceptionally and in justified cases.
Freedom of association and collective rights
Employees are allowed to collectively organise and form trade unions and bargain collectively. The employer shall adopt an open attitude towards the activities of trade unions, respect their rights and views, take into account their comments and the results of negotiations with them. Employee representatives are not discriminated against, their rights are respected and access to the exercise of their representative functions in the workplace is ensured.
Forced labour, child labour and juvenile labour
Any form of forced labour, slave labour or involuntary prison labour is strictly prohibited. This prohibition also applies to the transportation of persons and/or related activities carried out under threat, duress, physical abuse or other abuses, fraud or kidnapping for the purpose of employment or provision of services.
Employees are free to leave the employer in compliance with employment law and are not required to make any deposits or surrender any identification documents.
Society will not tolerate any form of child labour. The age of minors must be the minimum age set by legislation. Minors must not perform any hazardous work, night work, overtime work or activities that endanger their personal development, mental, health or social development. The company shall only encourage forms of cooperation with students and apprentices that are in line with
in accordance with legislation and in the best interests of minors.
Staff remuneration and working hours
The remuneration paid to employees for a standard working week shall be at least the legal minimum. The wages paid must in any case be sufficient to cover basic needs and provide discretionary income.
All employees shall be provided with clear information in writing prior to commencement of employment about their employment, pay conditions and details of their pay for the relevant pay period whenever they are provided with their pay. Deductions from wages may be made only with the employee’s consent and within the limits laid down by law.
All disciplinary actions against staff are recorded.
Working hours, as well as ordered or voluntary overtime, rest periods and the granting of holidays must be in accordance with the law.
Workplace safety and prevention of workplace violence, protection of employee data
The company strives to provide a safe, hygienic and healthy working environment for its employees, customers and visitors in all of its facilities. Managers are responsible for the safety and healthy working environment of their employees. All Company management employees are responsible for maintaining health and safety standards, including occupational hygiene.
In support of the above, employees are responsible for monitoring and complying with workplace safety rules and for preventing potential health hazards to themselves and their colleagues. Employees are regularly trained in occupational safety. Employees are also responsible for immediately reporting work-related accidents, occupational diseases and unsafe situations or actions to their supervisor.
Employees shall have access to clean toilets and drinking water, or food storage facilities that meet hygiene requirements.
The Company requires its employees not to work under the influence of any substance, including alcohol and drugs, that would affect their ability to work safely and effectively.
The personal data of employees, including data on their health status, is kept completely safe by the Company, the Company ensures the protection of such data by technological and organizational measures and access to such data is exclusively granted to competent employees.
In conclusion
Conduct in accordance with this Code is fundamental to the successful operation of the Company. Employees with questions regarding this Code of Conduct may contact their immediate supervisor or the Company’s Chief Human Resources Officer. The Chief Operating Officer is the employee responsible for occupational health and safety.
The Company shall be entitled to monitor and evaluate compliance with this Code of Conduct over time.
and periodically evaluate employee conduct in the context of the Code of Conduct
This Code of Conduct is effective as of 1 January 2024.
Ing. Michal Uher, MBA
General Director
OTK printing & packaging a.s.