Code of Conduct Businesses- responsible business conduct

SAILING TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE, TOGETHER

Our independence empowers us to prioritize business relationships that support our sustainability goals and commitments - and we require our valued partners to operate in a way that advances social, environmental and economic sustainability.

Our Code of Conduct for business relationships (hereafter CoCBR) describes the standards we commit to with our business partners in the interest of stable, long-term business partnerships that are mutually beneficial to both parties and society at large.

1. Introduction

We developed this CoCBR to ensure that our business relationships - including suppliers and partners - demonstrate responsible business conduct according to the international standard outlined in the UNGPs and OECD. This is the same standard that we at ICL have committed to in our Sustainability Policy.

This means that like us at ICL, we expect our business relationships to identify and manage their risk of actual and potential adverse impacts in relation to these areas:

Human rights (including labor rights),
Environment (including climate),
Anti-corruption.

These areas are set out by the UN Global Compact and made operational through the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (UNGPs/OECD).

Upholding the international standard for responsible business conduct is not the same as legal compliance. In addition to the sustainability requirements set out in our CoCBR, our business relationships are always expected to comply with national laws wherever they operate.

2. Management

We expect our business relationships to implement a system to manage adverse impacts on core sustainability areas that is fully aligned with the internationally agreed minimum standard for responsible business conduct in accordance with the UNGPs/OECD.

2.1 SCOPE

The required management system shall, at a minimum, address:

Adverse impacts on the human rights stated in the International Bill of Human Rights, that include the core labor rights from the International Labour Organisation's Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work;
Significant adverse impacts on the external environment in relation to the areas addressed by the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, including the climate as reflected in the Paris Agreement; and
Adverse impacts on anti-corruption, as related to the scope outlined by the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS:

2.2 ADOPT A POLICY STATEMENT

We expect our business relationships to adopt a policy statement that is:

Approved by the most senior level of the company
Informed by the UNGPs and OECD
Clear on the company's expectations of employees and its business relationships
Publicly available and communicated both internally and externally
Embedded across all operational policies and procedures throughout the company

2.3 ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A DUE DILIGENCE PROCESS

Business relationships are expected to establish a due diligence process that meets the international standard of responsible business conduct:

Establish processes for regular assessment of risks of actual potential adverse impacts on the areas outlined in Scope 2.1 above.
Act in order to prevent or mitigate the actual or potential adverse impacts identified in their assessments. And measure and track the effectiveness of their actions.
Report findings, any actions taken and ongoing status of issues to relevant stakeholders including ICL upon request.

2.4 ACCESS TO REMEDY

Where a business relationship identifies that they have caused or contributed to actual adverse impacts in the areas set out in Scope 2.1, we expect them to provide for access to remedy to those affected through legitimate processes, such as grievance mechanisms. And where necessary, to notify the relevant authorities.

Where a business relationship does not cause or contribute to an adverse impact but is linked to it, they are expected to use or build leverage to ensure the causing or contributing entity addresses the impacts and prevents or mitigates re-occurrence.

3. Implementation

At ICL, we hold ourselves to the same international standard we expect of our business relationships, and we have implemented the same requirements outlined in this CoCBR across our own operations

To better guide our partners, we offer documentation and information about our own responsible business conduct processes.

Who this CoCBR applies to

This CoCBR applies to our first-tier business relationships. In turn, we expect these partners to require that their own first-tier business relationships have similarly adequate processes in place to manage adverse impacts on the areas of sustainability in Scope 2.1.

Where a business relationship identifies a severe adverse impact in their value chain, we expect them to use or build leverage to make the causing or contributing parties adequately address these impacts. And to undertake reasonable efforts to ensure that the causing or contributing parties operate in accordance with the international minimum standard for responsible business conduct.

Documenting compliance

As in our own operations, our business relationships are also expected to demonstrate compliance with the requirements set out in this CoCBR by maintaining appropriate records.

Appropriate records include policy statement(s), documentation of due diligence processes - including operational-level impact assessments and transparent records on tracking effectiveness of actions - documented grievance mechanisms, and requirements for their business relationships.

Larger business partners, partners who work with dangerous products and services, and partners working in pre conflict or post conflict areas are expected to offer enhanced due diligence processes.

This CoCBR lays the foundation for collaboration between ICL and our business relationships, so we can work together to continuously manage our adverse impacts on social, environmental and economic sustainability.

If a business relationship has not yet implemented a management system in alignment with this CoCBR at the time of joining a partnership with us, they are required to develop an implementation plan and present it to us upon request. At any time, we expect our business relationships to be able to produce evidence of their implementation process.

If a business relationship causes, contributes to, or is linked to severe impacts on the areas set out in Scope 2.1, the partners is expected to notify the public and/or ICL immediately. This includes documentation of actions taken to end the severe impacts and prevent and mitigate their re-occurrence.

We also expect documentation of where the partner used or built leverage to end, prevent and mitigate an adverse impact caused by a business relationship they are linked to.

Where a business relationship fails to notify the public and/or ICL of a severe impact and address it adequately, or where they demonstrate a lack of willingness to meet the international standard of responsible business conduct, ICL reserves the right to sever the business relationship immediately.

Our Compliance at a Glance

Explore all documentation related to our compliance with the international standard for responsible business conduct and learn more from the FAQ

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