Ethics Code

Every Procurement or Procurement Professional must commit to himself, his company and this Association, to know, understand, live and apply this code of ethics.

Ethics is only one, is integral, has one single color, without shades, without excuses, and together with many other values, it is not negotiable, especially for a Procurement or Supply Professional, which is committed to its company and the principles of their peers.

Ethics as a model of life

For ACOPC, its ethical principles are based on the fact that the actions of its members must be distinguished by honesty and transparency. These fundamental premises of conduct are established and consolidated in this Code of Ethics, which is presented as a general framework and navigation chart for anyone working with the great responsibility of committing third party money through the Purchasing function.

• We act with integrity because we are consistent between what we think, say and undertake both in personal and business spheres.
• We act with respect, recognizing the rights of the counterpart, aware that this value is the basis for the construction of vigorous and mutually beneficial interpersonal and business relationships.
• At ACOPC we are committed to maintaining the highest ethical and productive standards. The "Zero Tolerance" directive governs our decisions regarding corruption control in its different modalities.
• ACOPC's reputation will be carefully built and all members have the duty to preserve and increase it. Consequently, no consideration or commercial activity can justify endangering its reputation.

We invite you to learn in further detail about the way in which we put in perspective and fulfill our institutional principles and values ​​in this Code, which symbolizes the inalienable commitment of all ACOPC members.

What is the Corporate code of ethics?

It is a formal reference that suggests and regulates the personal and professional conduct that all ACOPC members must comply, in any of its modalities.

Why should we have a Corporate Code of Ethics?

• Because as an Association that gathers a professional group that, due to its work in Procurement, requires the highest level of ethics, it represents a fundamental commitment of the Association to ensure that ethical values ​​and principles always prevail in all the members' behaviors.
• Because the adoption of ethical principles and behaviors reflects the type of organization we are part of, and the type of people we are.
• Because it defines what the Association expects from its members and its employees, regardless of their place of work or training.
• Because the trust we must generate is gained by demonstrating exemplary behavior and performance with our employees, members, customers, the State, society and the community.
• Because a great Association must have an institutional reference that governs individual and collective behaviors in its activities anywhere in the country and the world.

Who must comply with this code?

All employees, members of the Board of Directors, and members of the Association of any kind, regardless of payroll, position or geographic location, must understand, apply and ensure that the behaviors established herein frame our performance and that of those who act on behalf of the ACOPC.

What does the ACOPC code of ethics symbolize?

It symbolizes an institutional purpose and a personal commitment that we assume responsibly. The sum of the individual ethical behaviors contributes to the construction of the image and good prestige of the ACOPC and results in an institutional culture, whose core is the principles and values ​​in the exercise of the Purchasing and Contracts work. For all employees and members of all kinds, having a Code of Ethics, and acting accordingly, becomes a north for making wise and sensible personal decisions, which are translated and evidenced in group behaviors whose purpose is to contribute to the recognition of ACOPC as referent and one of the most serious, reliable and committed National Associations and Entities with Professional Ethics.

Commitments

• To encourage compliance with the Code through example. Our behavior must be a model of what it means to act with responsibility, integrity and respect.
• Ensure that all work teams know, understand and apply the Code.
• To guide the members so that, if they are aware of a fact that merits a complaint or clarification of an ethical dilemma, initially consult their immediate boss, or if applicable, the competent authority when they consider that he/she cannot provide enough advice.
• That the persons or companies that have any type of relationship with ACOPC know and understand our way of acting in accordance with the principles and values ​​established in the Code.

Our Principles and Values

Principles

Statements that describe the behaviors expected from each person, in the development of his/her activities, both inside and outside the Association. These are:

• HONESTY, which is above all ACOPC actions and relationships.
• TRANSPARENCY: What does not resist a scrutiny, an audit or public presentation, is not considered transparent.
• COMPLIANCE, which is evidenced against the commitments of quality, mode and time that we acquire in all our commitments.
• WORK WITH PROFESSIONALISM, which helps exceed the expectations of our customers and members in terms of costs, benefits and growth.
• CONSIDERATION AND CARE, that without exclusions or discrimination, every person, community and related company deserves.
• CORDIALITY AND PUNCTUALITY, which should be our symbol of respect for others' being and time.

Values:

Values ​​are positive norms desirable in the being and acting of people, socially accepted and valued, and that allow the coexistence construction for the achievement of the Association's challenges and are manifested in proper behaviors.

In ACOPC our actions have a framework within the values ​​of Responsibility, Integrity and Respect.

PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY: It is the moral obligation to make the best effort to achieve the corporate objectives with an efficient management of resources. The raison of being of a Procurement or Purchasing Professional is to seek and provide solutions to its company or internal customer: buy and negotiate what best meets their needs, with the required opportunity, in full compliance, with the quality and service conditions required, at the lowest possible cost-benefit ratio, with the relevant regulatory compliance and under the most convenient commercial and payment conditions. It is also to assume and accept the consequences of all acts inherent to our functions, being aware of of their impact on others, on the company where we work, on society and the environment, and pursuing continuous learning.

INTEGRITY: Visible behavior that shows us as coherent people, because we act as we say and think. Both in its professional life and in his private life, the Purchasing or Procurement Professional must be and show himself as an integral, honest person, of impeccable conduct, and always working in all aspects, under a concept of ethics that does not generate the slightest doubt as a person or as a professional. But it is not enough to simply be an ethical, complete and transparent person: The Procurement or Supply Professional must also reject and denounce any commercial or business misconduct or practice contrary to these principles.

RESPECT AND TREATMENT: Respect is the acceptance of the differences that arise in one's self-esteem and the recognition of the other's existence. Every person, company or community deserves from us the highest consideration and care, without exclusions or discrimination. The Purchasing or Procurement Professional treats all of its counterparts with the courtesy, kindness and respect with which they wish to be treated. And even when it is its professional responsibility to demand compliance from suppliers and contractors of the agreed, negotiated and contracted facts, the Procurement or Supply Professional must always treat the representatives of the supplier companies correctly and with respect, since it is with them with whom they carry out their work on a daily basis.

ADHESION TO LAWS: The Procurement or Supply Professional understands and accepts the spirit and letter of the laws, principles and regulations of the regions and countries where he operates (contracting, anti-corruption, copyright, anti-dumping, anti-smuggling, laws against child exploitation, among many others), the norms of international standards, the companies where he works, and the people or companies to whom he provides his services. In the same way, the Procurement or Supply Professional must reject and denounce illegal practices or violations of laws and regulations when this happens.

TRUST: The functions of buying and negotiating on behalf of the organization have been entrusted to the Purchasing or Procurement Professional by the company for which they work or provide their services, and has entrusted and delegated to the Buyer the decisions that impact huge interests. Therefore, the Purchasing or Procurement Professional will always and under all circumstances honor and build up this trust.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The Purchasing or Procurement Professional should avoid involving any own- or third-party interest, that may interfere with the impartial decision making in the exercise of his work. The Purchasing or Procurement Professional cannot be a "judge and party", and must always place the interests of the company for which he works above his personal interests. However, there may be conflict situations not generated by him but due to fortuitous cases. In any case, and in the event of the possibility of a conflict of interest, the Procurement or Supply Professional must declare the possible conflict before a higher instance in his company, so that it is this instance, level or responsible person who judges the case and decides the best way to address the issue.

GIFTS, COMPLIMENTS AND INVITATIONS: First of all, the Purchasing or Procurement Professional should look for ways where his good judgment is not compromised in the commercial and professional decision-making process, and let his counterparts know about this. It is possible that if a company has a Corporate Procurement Model or Process that "armors" it against weak and / or subjective criteria, it might have no problem with its Purchasing staff receiving gifts, entertainment and invitations from suppliers, as a business practice. However, the common sense and policies of each company will dictate what is inappropriate in this regard, to avoid any possibility of doubt and maintain the image and integrity of individuals and institutions. It is to these policies that the Procurement or Supply Professional must adhere to. When there are doubts about what is acceptable, it is always advisable that the offer should be rejected, regardless of its value or frequency, or previously reported to the company or higher instance.

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION: For the execution of their work, the Purchasing or Supply Professional normally has confidential or privileged information at their disposal. It is then its total responsibility how he/she handles this information. It will not be used for its own benefit or for the benefit of any third parties, and will be handled with the necessary professionalism, discretion and confidentiality, in a fair and honest manner, so that it does not unduly benefit and / or harm any of the parties involved in the business that he/she drives.

EQUITY: The enormous responsibility of the Purchasing or Procurement Professional in the business that he manages must have a framework of equity (fairness) and ethical responsibility with the suppliers' companies. The Procurement or Supply Professional must always focus on "Win-Win" negotiations and avoid any deals that might lead to deception or loss to his counterpart.

BUSINESS RESPONSIBILITY: In many aspects, the Supply or Procurement Professional is also the executor of many corporate social responsibility initiatives of its company. Therefore, the appropriate use of resources, relations with communities and environmental impacts, among others, must always be present in the decision-making instances of the Procurement or Supply Professional.

ZERO TOLERANCE TO ANY MANIFESTATION OF CORRUPTION: The true Supply or Procurement Professional does not require explanations regarding this point: Zero tolerance!