Compliance & Ethics

Doing business according to high ethical standards

Maintaining the highest standard of integrity is essential for securing the trust of customers, business associates and the general public, and in turn brings security for the company and its employees. 

Borealis' commitment to ethical business conduct is firmly rooted in the company's core values: Responsible, Respect, Exceed and Nimblicity™. Each Borealis employee is expected to:

• Be responsible for their own actions and for upholding the highest standards of ethical behaviour at all times.
• Respect the importance of upholding ethical principles, human rights and diversity within Borealis, among its business partners, and in all the communities in which it operates.
• Exceed what is stipulated by law and regulations, to achieve even higher standards of business conduct.
• Embrace the spirit of Nimblicity™, to seize every opportunity to achieve excellence in business behaviour.

Borealis' commitment to ethics extends beyond its employees. Agents, suppliers, contractors and distributors are also obliged to uphold ethical principles. Borealis contracts include an ethics clause.

Borealis Ethics Policy

The Borealis Ethics Policy is the foundation for the company's approach to ethical business. It applies to Borealis employees and all others working on behalf of the company, including suppliers and contractors. The policy is easily accessible on the Borealis website in 16 different languages, and offers clear guiding principles as well as practical tools and advice on how to make the right decision, when confronted with questions of ethics and business conduct.

The policy covers a wide range of topics, including the application of human rights, how to deal with conflicts of interest, Borealis' guidelines on political involvement, avoiding bribery, how the company competes and many more.

Ethics Ambassadors

Borealis applies ethical guidelines in practice through a comprehensive network of around 80 Ethics ambassadors, drawn from various functions and locations. Within the framework of Borealis' Compliance Management System and in alignment with the Group Compliance and Ethics Officer, Ethics Ambassadors hold general ethics training courses for employees. The Group Compliance and Ethics Officer and the Ethics Ambassadors also provide tailored workshops for high-risk functions or particular countries, as well as on topics such as competition and bribery. Employees with internet access must complete the company's "CodeOne" e-learning programme within the first weeks of employment and classroom training is mandatory for all employees during their first full year of employment. Depending on the role of the individual employee, additional classroom and online training courses are mandatory throughout the term of employment.

Complaint and grievances mechanism

The Borealis Ethics Hotline has been established as a channel for those inside and outside Borealis to blow the whistle by reporting unethical behaviour or to raise concerns with full confidentiality. All notifications are registered, evaluated, documented and, if necessary, investigated, and appropriate action is taken. On average, the Ethics Hotline is contacted 150 times each year with requests for information or advice, as well as with reports of unethical behaviour. Such reports have led to disciplinary measures, including dismissal. Every valid report of unethical behaviour is investigated and findings are reported to the Executive Vice President of the business area concerned.