Torque Consulting Engineers Code of Conduct for Supplier

Torque Consulting Engineers

Supplier Code of Conduct (SCOC)

Created By Approved By
Irfanul Hoque Abir TCE/COC-S/01/12/19 (Riv0) Md. Ashrafuddowla
(Manager – HRD) ( CEO)

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Torque Consulting Engineers Code of Conduct for Supplier

1. Scope:

This SCOC (supplier code of conduct) policy is for current and protentional TCE
suppliers. By agreeing to adhere to this Code, Suppliers agree to adhere to any
corresponding Product-Specific Standards, where applicable. If no product-specific
standard is applicable, Suppliers shall follow this Code or propose an auditable
standard for review. We reserve the right to regularly ask Suppliers to confirm
adherence to this Code.

2. Introduction:

Many companies have their own SCOC tat address labor practice within their supply
chains. The purpose of this document is not to replace those codes, but to set forth a
model that complies the elements typically found in such codes that would form the
basis for the checklist for the companies with codes in place.

3. Purpose:

[The Supplier] and [The Customer] are committed to high standards of social and
environmental responsibility and ethical conduct. We have created this Code as an
extension of our own Corporate Code of Conduct to form the cornerstone of our
commitment to responsibly source our products. This Code defines the universal
standards that we require our suppliers to adhere to when conducting business with us.
The requirements laid out in the Code are based on internationally recognized
standards, including the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the
UN Global Compact Principles and the International Labor Organization (ILO)
Declaration on Fundamental Rights and Principles at Work.

4. Business Ethics:

Compliance with Law: Suppliers’ business activities shall comply with applicable
laws and regulations in the countries and jurisdictions in which they operate. They
shall also comply with all other applicable international laws and regulations,
including those relating to international trade, sanctions, export controls,
antitrust/competition, and data protection. Where local law and this Code address the
same topic, the supplier shall meet the requirement which affords greater protection.

Bribery/Corruption: All forms of bribery, kickbacks, corruption, extortion,

embezzlement, and unethical practices are prohibited, and Suppliers must have a zero-
tolerance policy to prohibit any such behavior. Suppliers shall not take any action that
would violate, or cause us to violate, any applicable anti-bribery law or regulation,
including the Local & International laws/Act.

Gifts/hospitality: Any business entertainment or hospitality with our staff, auditors or

other third parties must be reasonable in nature and not intended to influence in any
way our business decisions.

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Torque Consulting Engineers Code of Conduct for Supplier

Conflicts of interest: Suppliers will declare any conflict of interest in any business
dealings with us and will actively seek to avoid such conflicts.

Intellectual Property: Our confidential information and intellectual property must be

safeguarded and must not be shared with any third party unless expressly permitted by
us. Suppliers will not divulge to us any information about its competitors that is not in
the public domain. Any authorized transfer of confidential information is to be done
in a way that protects intellectual property rights.

Traceability, materials, and facility disclosure: Suppliers shall be able to disclose the
country of origin for the primary materials for all deliveries made. We reserve the
right to ask suppliers for a full supply chain map to facilitate risk assessment and
gauge compliance in the upstream supply chain. Suppliers shall be transparent about
all known facilities used to produce products or services for us and provide such
information upon request. At our request, suppliers are expected to provide to us
reports on the occurrence of substances in any materials supplied to us that may be
restricted by, or require disclosure to, governmental bodies, customers and/or
recyclers.

5. Labor and Human Right:

Freely Chosen Employment: All forms of involuntary labor – including forced,

coerced, bonded (including debt bondage), involuntary or exploitative prison, slavery,
trafficked or indentured or other forms – are prohibited.

• All work must be voluntary, or at-will, and workers shall be free to leave
work at any time or terminate their contract or terms of employment.

• There shall be no unreasonable restrictions on workers’ freedom of

movement at the workplace or at company- or agent-provided housing.
Workers are working without being coerced, duped, mislead and are not being
held hostage

. • To minimize isolation, workers will not have mobile phones confiscated.

• Employment agreements shall comply with local laws and regulations,

inform workers of their legal rights and employment conditions in a language
understood by the worker, and be concluded before work has commenced. If
employment contracts are not legally required, workers shall at the very least
be informed of the terms and conditions of employment, in a language
understood by them, prior to starting work.

• Employers and agents may not hold or otherwise deny access by employees
to their identity or immigration documents unless such holdings are required
by law.

• Workers shall not pay recruitment fees or other related expenses for their
employment. If it is discovered that workers have paid fees, the supplier shall
ensure that the workers are repaid in full.

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Torque Consulting Engineers Code of Conduct for Supplier

Child Labor and Young Workers: Child labor shall not be used. The term “child”
refers to any person under the age of 15, or under the minimum age for employment
in the country, whichever is greatest.

• All employment of young workers, including apprentices or vocational

students, must comply with laws and regulations on the minimum working age
and the compulsory age for schooling. In any case, apprenticeship or vocation
arrangements must be of educational benefit and be consistent with Article 6
of ILO Minimum Age Convention No. 138, or light work consistent with
Article 7 of ILO Minimum Age Convention No. 138.

• Young worker protections are in place, where applicable (including for the
children of farmers), so that young workers under the age of 18 do not
experience conditions in relation to their work that are mentally, physically,
socially, or morally dangerous or harmful, or that interfere with their
schooling.

• A child may help at their family’s business only if they perform light work
and meet the requirements above.

Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining: Suppliers shall respect workers’

legal rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining.

• Suppliers shall respect the right of all workers to form and join trade unions
of their own choosing, to bargain collectively and to engage in peaceful
assembly as well as respect the right of workers to refrain from such activities.
Suppliers shall permit workers to carry out such activities without fear of
discrimination, intimidation, or reprisal as specified in ILO Conventions 87
and 98.

Regular Employment Status: Work performed must be on the basis of a recognized

employment relationship. Obligations to employees under labor or social security
laws and regulations arising from a regular employment relationship shall not be
avoided, such as through sub-contracting, excessive use of fixed-term employment
contracts, or through apprenticeship schemes with no real intent to impart skills or
provide regular employment.

Wages and Benefits: Suppliers shall ensure workers receive wages and benefits that
meet, at a minimum, national legal standards.

• We encourage our suppliers to go beyond legal minimum standards and to

ensure wages are sufficient to meet basic needs and provide discretionary
income.

• All overtime work must be paid at the legally mandated overtime rate, or in
the absence of this, a premium wage.

• Equal work shall be compensated with equal pay.

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 Torque Consulting Engineers Code of Conduct for Supplier

• Disciplinary pay deductions are prohibited.

• For each pay period, workers shall be provided with a timely and
understandable wage statement that includes sufficient information to verify
accurate compensation for work performed.

• Workers should be charged fair prices, where applicable, for job uniforms,
protective gear, food, toiletries and other essential items and transportation.
The collective cost of living expenses and transportation costs shall not exceed
the amount paid for the duration/term length of employment (e.g. avoiding
debt bondage).

Working Hours: Regular and overtime working hours must comply with the law and
not be excessive.

• Regular working hours shall not exceed the legal limit or 48 hours per week,
whichever is lower.

• Rest days shall comply with legal requirements or, in the absence of such a
requirement, workers shall be provided one day off in seven. This may be
amended in unusual or emergency circumstances.

• All overtime shall be voluntary.

Humane Treatment: All workers are to be treated with respect and dignity. There is to
be no harsh and inhumane treatment including any sexual harassment, sexual abuse,
corporal punishment, mental or physical coercion or verbal abuse of workers; nor is
there to be the threat of any such treatment.

Discrimination: Suppliers shall commit to a workforce free of discrimination.

• All employment decisions (including hiring, termination, compensation,

promotion, and discipline) must be based exclusively on ability and
willingness to do the job. • There shall be no discrimination on the basis of
race, color, sex, national or social origin, religion, age, disability, sexual
orientation, gender identity, marital status, political affiliation, pregnancy
status, or past or present union affiliation.

• Supplier shall not require pregnancy or medical tests, except where required
by applicable laws or regulations or prudent for workplace safety and shall not
improperly discriminate based on test results.

Respect for Community Rights to Land: Suppliers shall respect the rights and titles to
property and land of individuals, indigenous peoples, and local communities.
Negotiations regarding property and land shall adhere to principles of free, prior, and
informed consent, as well as contract transparency and disclosure.

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Torque Consulting Engineers Code of Conduct for Supplier

6. Health & Safety:

Working conditions: Suppliers shall provide a safe and hygienic work environment, as
appropriate for the industry, geography, and workforce.

• Adequate steps shall be taken to prevent accidents and injuries to health

arising out of, associated with, or occurring in the course of work, by
minimizing, so far as is reasonable and practicable, the causes of hazards
inherent in the work environment.

• Workers shall receive regular health and safety training.

• Where needed, workers are to be provided free of charge with appropriate,

well-maintained, personal protective equipment and educational materials
about risks to them associated with these hazards.

• Suppliers shall respect workers’ right to refuse unsafe work and to report
unhealthy working conditions.

• Workers shall have access to basic social services such as basic medical care
and social services. If these services are not immediately available within the
local area, then there is accommodation available for transportation to access
such services, as needed.

Emergency Preparedness: Potential emergency situations and events (such as fires,

earthquakes, and chemical exposures) are to be identified and assessed, and their
impact minimized by implementing emergency plans and response procedures. In
buildings, emergency exits must be unlocked and unblocked at all times.

Basic services: Workers shall have access to potable drinking water and clean toilet
facilities at all times at the workplace and at any company - or third party - provided
housing, as well as sanitary food preparation, storage and consumption areas.

Accommodation: Accommodation, where provided, is clean, safe, affordable, meets

the basic needs of workers, and conforms to the country’s laws. Accommodation
should meet or exceed the basic levels afforded in the local community. Workers shall
have freedom to enter and leave at will.

7. Environmental sustainability:

Resource consumption, pollution prevention and waste minimization: Business is

conducted in a manner which proactively embraces sustainability. Suppliers shall
optimize their consumption of natural resources, including energy and water.
Environmental impact management: Business is conducted in a manner which reduces
environmental impact. As such, suppliers will measure and minimize the
environmental impact of their facilities and operations, including air and greenhouse
gas emissions, water (whether in a production process, for irrigation, or for other
uses), contamination and waste.

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Torque Consulting Engineers Code of Conduct for Supplier

Hazardous materials and product safety: Suppliers shall identify and reduce the use of
hazardous materials, chemicals and substances. Suppliers will also ensure their safe
handling, storage and disposal. All applicable employees shall be aware of and trained
in related safety procedures.

8. Policy Implementation:

Management Systems: Suppliers will develop and enforce policies and procedures to
ensure compliance with all aspects of this Code. This includes ensuring transparent
and accurate record-keeping to demonstrate compliance with applicable laws and this
Policy.

Grievance mechanisms: Suppliers shall have systems in place to enable fair,

confidential and anonymous grievance reporting and follow-up without fear of
reprisal. This includes worker whistleblower protections.

Audits and Corrective Action Process: We reserve the right to verify compliance with
the Code through internal or third-party assessments and to require implementation of
corrective actions toward meeting the Policy.

Continuous Improvement: We also recognize that achieving the requirements of this

Code is a dynamic process and encourages continuous improvement within its supply
chain. In cases where improvement is required, we will support the supplier to
establish clear milestones and processes to support their achievement. Suppliers who
ultimately fail to comply may be subject to consequences up to and including
termination of business. We are hereby committed to preventing child, forced, or
involuntary labor and agree to abide by the responsible sourcing practices and Code
of Conduct principles described in this document. By signing and dating this
document, you attest to having read, understood, and will follow the terms set forth as
long as a contractual supply or trade obligation / commitment is in effect between
both parties.

SUPPLIER

Signature:

Name:

Title:

Company Name:

Date:

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