EPOS Health Management EPOS Code of Ethics

EPOS Code of Ethics
EPOS Health Management
June 2005/Revised June 2009

EPOS Code of Ethics
INTRODUCTION
APPLICATION
STANDARDS
EPOS Health Management s mission is to contribute with its
knowledge and experience to more effective and efficient health
systems. The achievement of this goal requires high personal and
professional standards for management and staff, the observance
of which EPOS ensures by
carefully selecting members of its head office management and
personnel, external experts and cooperation partners;
assuring compliance to the Code at EPOS headquarters and
in project offices worldwide; and
applying the Code when dealing with cooperation partners,
donors and all stakeholders in projects that EPOS implements.
The Code applies to all EPOS employees, i.e. management and
other staff at the EPOS head office and team leaders, team
members, short and long term experts in the field, as well as
company representatives, and is part of EPOS employment
contracts and contracts with representatives. The Code also
applies to consortium partners in projects where EPOS is the lead
firm.
The Code also applies to consortium partners in projects where
EPOS is the lead firm. In case EPOS is not lead firm of a
consortium, EPOS Code of Ethics or, if available, an equivalent
Code of Ethics of the lead firm of the consortium will be part of the
consortium agreement.
Equal Rights
EPOS deals with people regardless of their gender, age,
nationality, ethnic origin, religion, culture, education, social status,
disabilities, or sexual orientation. Equal rights principles are
observed in all of EPOS activities, be it at its head office or in the
field. EPOS dissociates itself from and does not tolerate
bullying/mobbing, sexual harassment and racism 1 , neither in its
head office nor in project offices worldwide.
Meeting Contractual and Legal Obligations
EPOS fulfils its contractual obligations towards business partners
and personnel. The company respects the laws in force in
Germany and in the countries where the company is working. In
countries outside Germany, staff is employed abiding to the
1
Bullying/Mobbing: Act of repeated aggressive behavior, intentionally causing harm to others through verbal
harassment, physical assault, or other methods of coercion such as manipulation.
Sexual Harassment: Unwelcome sexually determined behavior such as physical contact and advances, sexually
colored remarks, showing pornography and sexual demands, whether by words or actions.
Racism: The belief that human races have distinctive characteristics which determine their respective cultures, usually
involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule or dominate others.
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EPOS Code of Ethics
VIOLATIONS
relevant labour laws and social standards of the respective
country.
Partnership
Partnership is characterized by mutual respect, trust and
confidentiality. EPOS strives for a partnership-based cooperation
with associate firms, and freelance experts employed in its
projects. The same applies to its cooperation with donors,
beneficiaries, target groups and authorities in the projects
implemented.
Conflict of Interest, Honorary Engagement
Any paid or honorary activity of personnel falling outside
employment contracts with EPOS requires prior written approval of
the management. EPOS management will not approve activities
that imply competition with the work that EPOS is doing.
Bribery
EPOS disassociates itself from active and passive bribery and
neither encourages nor tolerates the direct or indirect acceptance
of bribes or the offering of bribes.
Gifts
EPOS personnel is not allowed to accept gifts from or to make gifts
to business partners, except for small give-aways such as pens,
business card etuis, etc., which do not exceed a commercial value
of 40 per employee or business partner per year. EPOS staff
may accept occasional lunch or dinner invitations or may invite
business partners to lunch/dinner, as these are informal work
platforms between EPOS and its partners.
Compliance to ethical standards is difficult to monitor. EPOS
management therefore relies on staff to assess themselves and
monitor whether the requirements of this Code are met.
If EPOS Management becomes aware of the fact that a partner or
an employee has violated the Code of Ethics, whether explicitly or
by implication, it will act in each individual case by carefully
evaluating the degree and the seriousness of the contempt and
undertake the necessary action. As regards equal rights (please
see section Standards ), EPOS has additionally appointed an
Ombudsperson to whom staff can turn to in case they feel
discriminated. The Ombudsperson will keep all reported incidents
in strictest confidence and will only act in close consultation and
agreement with the person reporting the incident.
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