Code of ethics

This Supplier Code of Ethics (hereinafter referred to as “the Code”) defines the standards that apply in all circumstances within JDC AIRPORTS’ supply chain in order to ensure that:

employees are treated with respect and dignity in a work environment that ensures their health and safety;
the operations for the production or performance of the service are carried out with an approach that is as environmentally friendly as possible;
the commercial relations maintained by the Supplier are free from any manipulation, active or passive corruption, extortion or embezzlement and, more generally, from illegal practices;

1. GENERAL PRINCIPLES

Any Supplier of JDC AIRPORTS undertakes to provide only products or services that comply with the principles of the Code, the national and international laws that apply to the exercise of their activity and the international rules mentioned in the Code.

Within the meaning of the Code, the term “Supplier” refers to JDC AIRPORTS’ direct contractors.

The Supplier undertakes to transmit and enforce this Code (as well as any appendices that may be added by the contracting entity of JDC AIRPORTS or its own subcontractors and suppliers.

This Code is part of a process of continuous improvement with which the Supplier undertakes to comply and it also agrees to change its practices that are contrary to this document.

2. JDC AIRPORTS’ COMMITMENTS

JDC AIRPORTS undertakes to promote responsible trade throughout its entire supply chain through the commitments of the Code of Ethics.

2.1.1 Whether in the context of its business practices or any other activity, JDC AIRPORTS is committed to:

comply with international and national laws, principles, standards and regulations,
avoid conflicts of interest,
refuse any form of corruption.

2.1.2 JDC AIRPORTS is committed to developing loyal relationships with Suppliers and to ensuring fair treatment for them regardless of their economic importance. It seeks, in compliance with the rules of free competition and freedom of enterprise, to establish a long-term commercial relationship with the Supplier, taking into account its ability to offer products and services that meet its needs.

2.1.3 JDC AIRPORTS strives to maintain a constructive and open dialogue with the Supplier regarding the Supplier’s ability to comply with the Code, and may, if necessary, support it as much as possible in order to help it meet these expectations.

2.1.4 JDC AIRPORTS agrees, through its purchasing practices, to facilitate the application of the Code by its business partners.

2.1.5 JDC AIRPORTS has undertaken to respect and protect the environment and strives, year after year, to reduce the ecological impact of its activities. In order to implement these actions, JDC AIRPORTS raises awareness among its customers, gets its employees involved and supports its Suppliers on these issues.

3. REQUIREMENTS CRITERIA

3.1 GENERAL PRINCIPLES

3.1.1 The Supplier must comply with the laws, principles, standards and international and national regulations in force in all countries where it operates and which are applicable to it. The Supplier shall ensure that its own suppliers and subcontractors comply with this undertaking.

3.1.2 JDC AIRPORTS employees are not authorised to receive gifts or gratuities from Suppliers in any form whatsoever (in particular, sums of money, gifts, invitations, entertainment, travel, etc.). Failure by a Supplier to comply with this and subsequent provisions may result in its exclusion from a call for tenders or termination of its contract.

3.1.3 JDC AIRPORTS prohibits corruption in all its forms at any time, in any place and under any circumstances. It expects its Suppliers to make the same commitment for themselves, their own suppliers and subcontractors.

3.1.4 The Supplier shall set up an effective internal management system so that:

any employment relationship be recognised, documented and carried out (in accordance with national legislation, with what is customary or national practices and international labour standards) from recruitment to the end of the employment contract; in particular for employees with special status: young employees, immigrants, national migrants, seasonal workers, home workers, piecework, trainees or apprentices, temporary work, etc.;
it ensures that the principles set out in this code are disseminated and applied consistently throughout its organisation.

3.1.5 The Supplier undertakes to be completely transparent towards JDC AIRPORTS. Any attempt to conceal, any false declaration, falsification of documents or facts may cause JDC AIRPORTS to be excluded from a call for tenders or its contract to be terminated. In particular with regard to:

JDC AIRPORTS’ declared supply chain information
Internal documents and procedures that fall within the scope of compliance audits commissioned by JDC AIRPORTS when the supplier is involved;
The documents and procedures required under JDC AIRPORTS’ Quality policy, as defined and accepted by the Supplier as part of its listing on the list of suppliers or the Quality specifications accepted during the commercial negotiation.

3.1.6 The Supplier undertakes not to subcontract all or part of the manufacture of products to factories not previously declared. Where subcontracting has been authorised, it is the Supplier’s responsibility to verify the strict application of the Code by means of third party auditors or competent employees.

Any hidden subcontracting may justify the immediate termination of commercial relations.

3.1.7 Any information resulting from communications or in connection with the commercial relationship between the Supplier and JDC AIRPORTS must be considered to be confidential. As such, it may not under any circumstances be communicated to third parties without prior written consent.

3.1.8 The Supplier shall refrain from entering into agreements, engaging in any unfair practice that has the effect of hindering free competition, in particular those aimed at foreclosing a competitor from the market or restricting new competitors’ access to the markets by illegal means.

3.2 HUMAN RIGHTS, HEALTH AND SAFETY

3.2.1 PROHIBITION OF CHILD LABOUR

The Supplier undertakes to respect the minimum age for admission to any type of employment or work set by national legislation and not to employ children under 15 years of age under any circumstances.

The Supplier shall not employ any young employee over 15 and under 18 years of age on a night shift, or in conditions likely to compromise their health, safety or moral integrity and/or be detrimental to their physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development in accordance with ILO Convention 182.

3.2.2 PROHIBITION OF FORCED LABOUR

The use of forced, compulsory or unpaid labour in all its forms, including prison labour, is prohibited other than as provided for in ILO Convention 29.

3.2.3 COMBATING DISCRIMINATION AND ILL-TREATMENT

The Supplier shall not practice, encourage or tolerate discrimination in recruitment, hiring, training, working conditions, secondments, remuneration, benefits, promotions, discipline, termination or retirement on the grounds of sex, age, religion, family status, race, caste, social context, disease, disability, pregnancy, national and ethnic origin, nationality, membership of an employee organisation (including a union), political affiliation, sexual orientation, physical appearance or any other personal characteristic.

The Supplier shall not practice or tolerate any moral or physical harassment or abuse of any kind.
The Supplier shall draw up written disciplinary procedures, which shall be clearly explained to employees.
The Supplier shall not apply any deductions from pay as a disciplinary measure.

3.2.4 FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION

Employees shall have the right to form or join their union of their choice and to bargain collectively, without the prior authorisation of their management. The Supplier shall not interfere with, prevent or interfere with these legitimate activities.

Where the law restricts or prohibits freedom of association and collective bargaining, the Supplier shall not oppose any other form of free and independent representation and negotiation in accordance with ILO conventions.

3.2.5 WORKING HOURS

The Supplier shall set working hours in accordance with national legislation and ILO conventions, always applying the one that offers the best protection in terms of the health, safety and well-being of employees. In all cases, the Supplier shall respect a maximum weekly working time of 48 hours, excluding overtime. Overtime shall be worked on a voluntary basis, paid at a higher rate, shall not have a regular frequency and shall not exceed the limit set by local law (if no limit is set by law, overtime must not exceed 12 hours per week).

The Supplier respects the right of all employees to benefit from at least one day of rest after 6 consecutive working days, as well as from annual paid holidays and local and national holidays provided for by local legislation.

3.2.6 SALARIES AND BENEFITS

The Supplier shall pay its employees – including pieceworkers – wages, overtime, benefits and paid leave equivalent to or greater than the legal minimums and/or industry standards and/or those provided for in collective agreements (the higher amounts being applicable).

The subcontracting of labour, work or services, or arrangements for home-based work, apprenticeship programmes where there is no real intention to transfer skills or offer regular employment, excessive use of fixed-term contracts, or any other similar provision, shall not be used to avoid the employer’s obligations under employment law or the code de la sécurité sociale (Belgian Social Security Code) arising from a regular employment relationship.

3.2.7 HEALTH AND SAFETY

The Supplier shall take appropriate measures, taking into account the working conditions and risks specific to its industrial sector, to prevent accidents and damage to health resulting from, related to or occurring during the course of occupational activity.

The Supplier shall take adequate fire-fighting measures and shall ensure the strength, stability and safety of buildings and equipment, including residential spaces, where applicable.

The Supplier shall ensure that employees and management receive sufficient training in the following areas: firefighting, first aid, waste management, handling and disposal of chemicals and other hazardous materials.

3.3 ENVIRONMENT

The Supplier shall implement, with the techniques available and resulting from best practices in the sector, specific procedures and progress plans necessary to identify, avoid and/or reduce the negative impacts of its activity on the environment and contribute to the fight against climate change regulations, taking into account the criteria below:

3.3.1 Water use must be optimised and all waste water from production processes must be treated in accordance with local legislation before being discharged.

3.3.2 All waste, and in particular hazardous waste, must be handled responsibly (identification, storage, disposal, treatment) and in accordance with local laws.

3.3.3 The Supplier must ensure that any substance posing a risk to the environment is identified, labelled and stored in order to prevent any risk of pollution.

3.3.4 Any non-renewable natural resource must be managed as efficiently as possible. The Supplier undertakes not to use raw materials from protected animal or plant species or from illegal practices.

4. REFERENCE TEXTS

At local level, only legal standards that are in line with the general principles of the international conventions mentioned in this document are acceptable.

Under no circumstances may this Code be used to prevent the implementation of more favourable conditions than those provided for by international standards and/or national and/or local legislation.

4.1 The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

4.2 International conventions relating to fundamental human rights:

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966
The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1966
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, 1980
The International Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), 1989
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2007

4.3 Core international labour standards, as defined by the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work adopted in June 1998, namely:

Convention 29: Forced Labour Convention, 1930
Convention 87: Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948
Convention 98: Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949
Convention 100: Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951
Convention 105: Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957
Convention 111: Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958
Convention 138: Minimum Age for Admission to Employment Convention, 1973
Convention 182: Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999

4.4 Other applicable international labour standards, such as:

The ILO’s Decent Work Agenda
Convention 1: Hours of Work (Industry) Convention, 1919
Convention 14: Weekly Rest (Industry) Convention, 1921
Convention 95: Protection of Wages Convention, 1949
Convention 97: Migration for Employment Convention, (Revised), 1949
Convention 131: Minimum Wage Fixing Convention, 1970
Convention 135: Workers’ Representatives Convention, 1971
Convention 143: Migrant Workers (Supplementary Provisions) Convention, 1975
Convention 154: Collective Bargaining Convention, 1981
Convention 155: Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981
Convention 161: Occupational Health Services Convention, 1985
Convention 170: Chemicals Convention, 1990
Convention 183: Maternity Protection Convention, 2000
Recommendation 85: Protection of Wages Recommendation, 1949
Recommendation 116: Reduction of Hours of Work Recommendation, 1962
Recommendation 135: Minimum Wage Fixing Recommendation, 1970
Recommendation 146: Minimum Age Recommendation, 1973
Recommendation 164: Occupational Safety and Health Recommendation, 1981
Recommendation 184: Home Work Recommendation, 1996
Recommendation 190: Worst Forms of Child Labour Recommendation, 1999