The Board of Directors of Globe Teleservices Pte Ltd (referred to as “GTS: or “company”) has adopted this Code of Business Conduct and Ethics to provide a detailed elaboration on this principle.
This principle, and the express standards and procedures set forth in this Code, are designed to promote:
This Code applies to all the company’s directors, officers and employees of GTS and of every subsidiary of GTS.
GTS and its subsidiaries are referred to collectively as GTS and each director, officer and employee of GTS is referred to as a Covered Person. GTS will attempt to ensure that this Code is brought to the attention of all Covered Persons.
Each Covered Person is responsible for understanding and adhering to this Code and acting in a manner which will result in performance of this Code, including co-operating in any investigation of misconduct. Adherence to this Code and acting in a manner which will result in performance of this Code is a strict condition of continued employment or association with GTS.
It is not an excuse for non-adherence that the non-adherence was directed or requested by any other person. This Code is absolute in principle, but it cannot cover every situation which may arise involving an ethical question or decision. Each Covered Person should constantly ensure that his or her conduct is compliant with the principles and the details of this Code. In any situation where there is a doubt, the Covered Person should discuss the situation with his supervisor, senior personnel or even a director until he or she is satisfied that all the relevant facts are known and have been considered and that the conduct chosen to be followed in that situation is the conduct prescribed by this Code.
Each Covered Person owes a duty to GTS to act at all times ethically and with the highest degree of honesty and integrity. Competitive advantage or profit must not be sought through unlawful, dishonest or unethical business practices.
The disclosure in all reports, documents and communications that GTS is required to file must fully comply with all disclosure requirements and any other reports, documents and communications that GTS publicly issues must meet similar standards. To achieve this, GTS will maintain accurate and complete financial, accounting and documentary records, and the Covered Persons involved will maintain and provide full, complete and accurate data and documentation.
Each Covered Person will promptly bring to the attention of GTS’s Audit Committee any information he or she may have concerning:
Each Covered Person must be scrupulous in always seeking to avoid any actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest. A conflict of interest occurs or may occur in any situation where a Covered Person has, or may have, a financial or other personal interest (other than solely as a director, officer or employee of GTS) different from, additional to or beyond solely the interests of GTS. A conflict situation can also arise when a director, officer or employee takes actions or has interests that may make it difficult to perform his or her GTS work objectively. Due to the variety of situations which could give rise to an actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest, every Covered Person should constantly consider whether any actual, potential or perceived conflict exists or may exist.
No gift, entertainment or personal benefit or opportunity should ever be offered, accepted or permitted by a Covered Person in a commercial context or by virtue of the Covered Person’s position or office with GTS, unless it:
In any event, and for greater certainty, the offer, acceptance or permitting of cash gifts by any Covered Person is prohibited.
Each Covered Person must immediately advise the Chairman of GTS’s Audit Committee in writing of any material transaction or relationship that reasonably could be expected to give rise to a conflict of interest and will not take any action to proceed with that transaction or relationship unless and until that action has been approved by GTS’s Audit Committee.
Each Covered Person must act in a manner which protects GTS’s assets and resources and ensures their responsible and efficient use. All assets and resources of GTS must be used for legitimate business purposes (incidental and non-material personal usage is considered a legitimate business purpose).
The obligation to protect GTS’s assets includes its proprietary information. Proprietary information includes, without limitation, intellectual property, such as trade secrets, patents, trademarks and copyrights, business marketing and service plans, manufacturing or service ideas, designs, databases, records, remuneration information, and any unpublished financial data and reports. Unauthorized use or distribution of this information is a violation of this Code. It may also be illegal and may result in civil or criminal penalties.
Each Covered Person must maintain the confidentiality of all non-public information relating to GTS, or provided by others to GTS (including by its customers), except when disclosure is properly authorized or legally required. Non-public information that is of no materiality and the disclosure of which would have no impact on GTS or anyone else need not be maintained in confidence, subject to applicable privacy laws. The obligation to preserve the confidentiality of non-public information continues even after employment ends.
Each Covered Person is prohibited from using or attempting to use non-public information for his or her own, or anyone else’s, personal use, gain or advantage.
Each Covered Person must deal honestly, ethically, fairly and in good faith with the customers, suppliers, competitors, employees, advisors and regulators of GTS. GTS seeks competitive advantage through superior performance, but never through unlawful, dishonest or unethical business practices. No Covered Person will take unfair advantage of anyone through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation of material facts or any other unfair dealing practice.
Each Covered Person is prohibited from taking for himself or herself personally, or directing to anyone else, opportunities that are discovered or available by virtue of the Covered Person’s position with GTS or through the use of GTS’s property or information. No Covered Person will use GTS’s property or information or the Covered Person’s position with GTS for his or her own, or anyone else’s, personal gain, or will compete directly or indirectly in any manner with GTS. Each Covered Person owes a duty to GTS to advance GTS’s legitimate interests when the opportunity to do so arises.
In conducting the business of GTS or otherwise acting as a director, officer or employee of GTS, every Covered Person will comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations in every jurisdiction in which GTS conducts business. Each Covered Person will acquire sufficient knowledge of the legal requirements relating to his or her duties so as to be able to carry out those duties in a legally permissible manner and to recognize when to seek advice on the applicable legal requirements from others with greater expertise.
Each Covered Person will promptly report any violation of this Code which is known to or reasonably suspected by that Covered Person, in accordance with GTS’s Whistleblower Policy. Inappropriate delay in reporting a known or reasonably suspected violation is itself a violation of this Code.
GTS assures every Covered Person that it will not carry out or, to the fullest extent reasonably within its power, permit any retribution or retaliation of any kind for reports made in good faith regarding known or reasonably suspected violations of this Code. The ability of a Covered Person to make reports without fear of retribution or retaliation is vital to the successful implementation of this Code.
The Board of GTS is responsible for monitoring compliance with this Code. Each Covered Person will be held accountable for adherence to this Code. Employees and officers who violate this Code will be subject to disciplinary action, including potential termination of employment, depending on the particular circumstances. Any violation of this Code by a director will be handled as appropriate in the circumstances.
GTS’s Board may grant a specific, limited waiver of any provision of this Code if it determines, based on information that it deems credible and persuasive, that such a waiver is appropriate under the specific circumstances. Each fact situation will be treated as a separate case, so that a decision in one case will have no bearing on another case. In most circumstances it is unlikely that a waiver will be granted. Any waiver granted (or implicit waiver) will be disclosed to the extent required by applicable law.