Policies and Management Systems

 The policies adopted by Corticeira Amorim reflect a set of voluntary commitments in the area of ethics and economic, environmental and social responsibility. They embody, as a whole, the set of voluntary responsibilities assumed by the various companies under the scope of a management model that sets out responsible competitiveness.

Promoting Human Dignity

Respect for human rights constitutes a structuring principle of all Corticeira Amorim’s activities: dignity, non-discrimination, equal rights, safety and well-being, education, personal and professional development, freedom of association.

Corticeira Amorim is committed and dedicated to building and fostering a framework of respect for fundamental values of Human Rights (as declared by the United Nations) and Labour Rights (as declared by the International Labour Organization), which is imperative for the entire Group and that, progressively, extends to all other stakeholders, in particular employees, partners, customers and suppliers.In this framework, Corticeira Amorim undertakes to:

• Respect the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Labour Organization’s Conventions;
• Act in accordance with prevailing laws and regulations, in strict respect for human rights and decent work practices;
• Progressively introduce more rigorous requirements in agreements signed with stakeholders to raise awareness and propagate respect for these values in their respective spheres of influence.

Personnal Management and Motivation

Corticeira Amorim’s Personnel Management policies and practices are oriented towards guaranteeing safe, healthy and balanced work environments from a physical, social and psychological perspective, in which employees feel encouraged to achieve high levels of performance, attaining high levels of personal development and professional development, which correspond to their expectations. In pursuit of these objectives, Corticeira Amorim:

• Adopts and assumes the principle of freedom of association;;
• Promotes a physically, socially and psychologically safe and healthy work environment and continually seeks to evolve by adopting the best techniques and practices in this field;
• Promotes the implementation of the principles and the adoption of the practices set out in the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and in public commitments that should characterise internal relations between employees, as well as their interactions with different stakeholders;
• Implements people management practices in the field of recruitment and skill development that promote non-discrimination and equality of opportunity, building work environments where plurality and difference are a factor for continuous improvement and innovation;
• Adopts leadership practices by example, which value learning and development, as well as recognition and compensation practices based on merit and exempt from judgments of a discriminatory nature. 

Ethical and Legal Responsibility

Acting in an ethical and responsible manner, complying with legal requirements, regulations and objectives applying to the activities of subsidiaries.

Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

Since 2013, Corticeira Amorim has formalized a Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, which is regularly reviewed.

This Code formalizes the set of rules and guidelines that should guide the performance of the professional assignments of all Corticeira Amorim employees, as well as internal relations (with other Employees) and external relations (with Clients, Suppliers, Service Providers, and Public and Private Institutions).

Responsibility to External Stakeholders

•  Promoting the satisfaction and loyalty of customers by developing differentiating and competitive products and services;
• Guaranteeing value creation for shareholders over the medium and long-term through responsible competitiveness;
• Maintaining a relationship of trust with stakeholders, namely suppliers, customers and society in general.

Product Responsibility

Corticeira Amorim has implemented rigorous control systems that enable it to meet the extremely demanding requirements of industries such as food, automotive, electric and electronic, aeronautics, aerospace, construction, among others.

Within this scope, the company's guarantee Quality, based on the continuous improvement of processes, products and services made available, and the search for innovative solutions supported by technological development, in order to respond to customer needs with competitive and differentiating solutions.

Innovation Policy

Corticeira Amorim adopts a Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) policy guided by the following principles:

• Develop new products and markets for cork;
• Look for new technological solutions concerning the product and processes, in partnership with customers, suppliers and other entities;
• Strengthen the reputation of its brands with the constant evolution of supply in response to new market and consumption trends;
• Promote an innovation culture through an environment conducive to creativity, critical thinking and initiative among employees, fostering teamwork and mutual assistance throughout the company;
• Create an environment that encourages daring, accepting risk and failure as a component of the innovation process;
• Enhance innovative practices;
• Provide ongoing training of employees to promote their professional and personal fulfilment;
• Facilitate internal and external communication, establishing new and improved channels for the exchange of information;
• Seek to implement the best management practices and continuously monitor its processes, identifying improvement opportunities.

Environmental Responsibility

Corticeira Amorim, besides benefiting from this gift of Nature - cork -, has ensured its business activity is characterised by the adoption and strengthening of sustainable development across the entire value chain:

As in any other industrial activity, the transformation processes have associated environmental impacts. In order to minimize this impact, and consistent with its principles and practices of sustainable management, Corticeira Amorim established its environmental commitment statement in 2013, common to all the BU and subsidiaries, pursuant to the terms presented below.

• Ensure compliance with legal requirements and other requirements to which the organisation subscribes, applicable to the environmental aspects of its activities, products and services;
• Monitor significant environmental aspects, contributing to the prevention of pollution;
• Act proactively identifying, evaluating and putting into practise the suitable preventive measures to minimise the specific environmental impact of each activity, using, whenever feasible, the best available technology and practices. 

Suppliers Chain Responsibility

Give preference, wherever possible, to suppliers that provide raw material according to good sustainability, social and environmental practices, in relation to the origin and also operating procedures.
Concerning non-cork raw materials, the company has defined a methodology for supplier qualification and assessment, which include social (IRSoc) and environmental (IRamb) responsibility indices. Thus, a supplier will be classified to supply Corticeira Amorim depending on the quality of the supply, the delivery times and the social responsibility and environmental responsibility indices.

Methodology for Evaluating the Social Responsibility Index (IRSoc)

The IRSoc is calculated according to the percentage of requirements met by the supplier. If the supplier is certified in accordance with the NP 4469 standard, they will be given an IRSoc of 100%. For each requirement that the supplier does not undertake to comply with, 25% will be subtracted from their IRSoc.

In terms of social responsibility companies, which intend to supply Corticeira Amorim must demonstrate their commitment to:

• not violate customers' privacy or lose their data, namely that of the companies in the Corticeira Amorim group;
• not use child labour;
• not use forced or compulsory labour;
• not exercise any kind of discrimination.

Methodology for Evaluating the Environmental Responsibility Index (IRAmb)

The IRAmb is calculated according to the percentage of requirements met by the supplier. If the supplier is certified in accordance with the ISO 14001 standard, they will be given an IRAmb of 100%. For each requirement that the supplier does not undertake to comply with, 25% will be subtracted from their IRAmb.

In terms of environmental responsibility, companies which intend to supply Corticeira Amorim must demonstrate their commitment to:

• Reduce waste and effluents;
• Handle chemicals in an environmentally safe way;
• Handle, store and forward hazardous waste in an environmentally safe way;
• Contribute to recycling and the reuse of materials and products.

Fighting Corruption

Corticeira Amorim develops its activity in an ethical, integral and transparent manner. Its results derive from its management vision, the efficiency of its working procedures, continuous innovation, the professionalism and competence of its team, the competitiveness of its market offer and its reputation.

Corticeira Amorim requires all its employees, without exception, to act in accordance with these principles, in strict compliance with prevailing legislation and regulations (in which every country the business activity takes place or if it relates to other entities), the Corticeira Amorim Group’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and commonly accepted good practices.

Integrity, honesty and loyalty are expected from everyone. All employees must comply with these principles. All employees should denounce any attempt of (active or passive) corruption, by the means and with the guarantees provided for in the Policy for Reporting Irregular Situations.

Corticeira Amorim is committed to the progressive inclusion of equivalent requirements in commercial agreements, contracts and partnerships established with third parties, thereby propagating adoption of this policy throughout the value chain and reducing the associated internal risk.

Management Systems

The strategic alignment of Corticeira Amorim is strengthened by the use of a balanced scorecard methodology. The Board of Directors is responsible for approving the strategic objectives and initiatives. The Group’s companies, in order to ensure effective management of environmental and social components, and meet strategic objectives, have implemented policies and management systems that are best suited to the non-financial risks associated to their activities.

Currently, different management subsystems are certified in the different companies, as shown in the summary table: