Ethical Code 2014
Ethical Code 2014
Ethical Code 2014
th
ETHICAL CODE
ETHICAL CODE
Index
PREAMBLE 1
GENERAL PRINCIPLES 2
OUR MISSION 4
OUR VISION 5
OUR VALUES 6
ETHICAL CODE
PREAMBLE
The main function of the Ethical Code and Code of Conduct is to make the fundamental values and principles
which guide the activities of the Companies of the RINA Group (referred to hereafter also as RINA or the Group)
known within the organization and to all external interlocutors.
Their aim is to orient individual conduct with the purpose of confirming the image of correctness, prestige and the
good reputation which have always been assets of our Company.
Their aim is also to condition the implementation policies of the Company’s main processes in the spirit of
continuous improvement, introducing also a management and internal control system.
In this system it is also assumed that each administrator, employee or collaborator of the Group is indistinctly and
constantly aware of their own responsibility in observing the policies and the principles of the Codes throughout
the performance of their own activities, and aware of the fact that this obligation constitutes an essential part of
their contractual duties.
The Ethical Code applies to the Holding Company and to the Italian and foreign subsidiaries controlled, directly or
indirectly, by RINA S.p.A. through:
nn the majority of voting rights in the ordinary Assembly
nn a sufficient number of votes to exercise a dominant influence at ordinary Assembly
nn a dominant influence by virtue of special contractual obligations with them.
This Ethical Code will be the subject of formal adoption by the Top Management of every company.
Where it is?
The Code will have to be accessible within the Group and to the public through the publication on the corporate
intranet and on the Group website.
2 ETHICAL CODE
GENERAL
PRINCIPLES
Human Rights
As foreseen by art. 2 of the Italian Constitution and by the major International Treaties, the respect of human
inviolable rights is considered an essential principle. For this reason, the Group promotes and defends these rights
in every circumstance and repudiates all discrimination based on gender, ethnic group, language, religion, politics
and social and personal conditions. The Group applies the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, International Labour Organisation and the OECD Guidelines regarding
Multinational Enterprises.
Competition
The Group recognizes that fair competition is a fundamental element for the development of corporate business.
Therefore, the Group respects the applicable antitrust rules and competition loyalty rules and in no case does the
Group carry out acts or adopt behavior contrary to free and fair competition.
To ensure transparency of the operativeness of the management, RINA defines, executes and sequentially updates
an articulate and homogenous corporate governance system inherent to both its own organizational structure and
the relationships with third parties, in compliance with national and international best practice standards, knowing
that the corporate ability to give itself functional efficient and effective rules represents an essential instrument to
strengthen its reputation in terms of reliability and transparency and the confidence of the Stakeholders.
OUR
MISSION
To Offer Services for Improvement
The objective of the different companies in the Group is to offer economic and institutional operators the best
services relevant to:
nn TIC - Testing Inspection and Certification
nn E - engineering and consultancy
nn Research and innovation
nn Training
in the maritime, industrial, civil, construction, healthcare, agribusiness, energy, finance, transport, services and
other production sectors.
OUR
VISION
RINA Group is a Multibusiness Organization
The RINA Group is a global body, articulated and integrated, with an invaluable common patrimony made up of:
nn our technical and professional skills
nn our clients
nn the prestige of our mark.
We diversify our business, enhancing above all internal synergies.
Leaders of Implementation
We want to be recognized as Implementation Leaders: our main ability must be to adapt our services to meet the
needs of individual clients.
Our range of services evolves and develops with our clients.
We operate through the creation of and compliance with professional methods and common rules, we standardize
the processes and industrialize our services in order to ensure they can be reproduced and guarantee a homogeneous
qualitative level at a competitive cost. We use instruments which enable us to evaluate objectives and the progress
made, monitor the trend of our activities and keep costs and profitability under constant control.
OUR
VALUES
Professionalism and Integrity
We consider integrity an essential element of our professionalism, aware of the contribution that each one of us
must make to the development of the qualitative level of the market.
Impartiality
Being impartial and being perceived to be impartial is in the DNA of the RINA Group.
Our impartiality and independency is an added value to the services provided to clients.
The assessment, certification and inspection activities should be conducted in such a way as to ensure objectivity
and impartiality, being aware of the activities carried out by other entities and / or organizations of the Group. The
observance of this principle must be guaranteed even in the promotion of these services.
Responsibility
At all levels of the organization, we assume responsibility for the quality of the work performed by us and by our
collaborators and we are aware of the impact of our work on the end client.
Core People
We recognize that the people who work for our organization have a central role to play, we respect their diversity
and we foster their development and learning.
We are committed to creating the right atmosphere, open and calm so that everyone is motivated and can contribute
to improving the Group’s activities.
Awareness of Costs
We all work with constant attention and a responsible approach to costs and wastage, in order to preserve financial
resources aimed at improving the Group’s competitiveness and increasing the capacity to invest in our development.
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We recognize the importance of teamwork; we draw with confidence on the wealth of skills of our colleagues and
make ours available to all.
We ask for and assimilate constant feedback on our work to improve the quality of our services and products.
8 ETHICAL CODE
RELATIONSHIPS WITH
INVESTORS AND
THE PUBLIC
Investor Definition
The Group looks at its shareholders as its investors.
We must aim for a fair profit and compare our results with those of companies which offer technical or consultancy
services and which operate in the same markets.
Focused Growth
We want to offer our clients high value-added services and which produce value for our company.
We have a selective and focused approach to development: we invest in those markets or segments in which we can
generate results, in a reasonable time and with an acceptable level of risk, and which contribute to the long-term
profitability of our company.
The Partners
The companies of the RINA Group pursue growth and development objectives, not only through qualitative and
quantitative increases of their own activities, but also through various initiatives undertaken with other companies
operating in the market.
These initiatives may consist of, also as joint ventures with other partners, company takeovers, exchanges or
participation in companies where other partners remain, through operational or commercial agreements or alliances.
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All the people involved, at various levels and with various responsibilities, in such activities, must base their own
conduct and course of action on the criteria of correctness and the ethical principles which inspire the Ethical Code
and Code of Conduct.
In particular, always aware that each violation of the Principles of the Ethical Code is to be reported as mentioned
subsequently in the section relating to the standards of application and the control system, all people are required
to:
nn verify that all partners as well as associated or allied bodies have a good reputation, are not involved in illicit
activities and operate with respect for the generally recognized principles of correctness and ethics
nn exercise the utmost care so that no risks of impoverishment to the activities and to RINA property result from
the above-mentioned operations
nn operate in compliance with the law and in complete transparency, without pursuing the intention of making
agreements at any cost for personal interest or image or unjustly promoting the interests of one or more of the
interested parties
nn foster the ethical principle of reciprocity and cooperation among the partners in all ways possible.
10 ETHICAL CODE
RELATIONSHIPS WITH
EMPLOYEES AND
COLLABORATORS
Definition of Employee and Collaborator
Group employees and collaborators are all those who have a labor or collaboration relationship with the Group,
pursuant to legal regulations, aimed at achieving the business objectives. As a result, Group employees and
collaborators include, for instance, executives, employees with a permanent, limited or part-time labor contract,
temporary workers, freelance workers and occasional workers.
Equal Opportunity
The Group acts in compliance with equal gender opportunities.
Improvement of Resources
The Group leverages on the skills, potential and commitment of each individual. In order to do so, the Group adopts
clear and uniform valuation criteria and provides adequate training.
Conflict of Interest
Directors, employees and collaborators pursue the Group’s objectives and general interests. They promptly inform,
considering the circumstances, their senior managers or direct superiors about situations or activities in which their
personal interests may conflict with those of the Group (or in the case in which next of kin hold such interests) and
in any other case in which there are relevant advantages to be had. Directors, employees and collaborators comply
with the decisions that the Group makes in this respect.
Abuse of Authority
No abuse of authority shall ever be tolerated in any labor and collaboration relationship. As a result, senior managers
are never permitted to act or behave towards subordinates in a manner sanctioned by law or by the applicable
collective or individual labor contracts. The Group has also established a listening center to report on cases of
abuse of authority.
nn the procedures of company selection, with respect for equal opportunities for all people aiming to be taken on
by the company, for their private lives and opinions, avoiding any form of patronage or unjustified favor.
The working relations are managed in accordance with the laws, work contracts, regulations and directives in force: no
contractual, social security or insurance irregularity or illegality will be allowed or tolerated in workingrelationships.
Considering the personnel as an indispensable factor for the development and achievement of the company
objectives, the RINA Group is committed to enhancing the skills and potential of the personnel on the basis of
clear and objective criteria, considering primarily, for career and salary development, the recognition of results
achieved, expertise and the professional abilities expressed over time.
On this note, the objective of a more effective performance evaluation system, to be obtained also through a
communication system which requires the Departmental Heads to identify the strong points or improve the weak
points demonstrated by their collaborators, in order to favor personal and professional growth, assumes particular
relevance.
RINA personnel are bound to offer the company work services in line with the expectations of the role and the tasks
carried out, with the commitment to their continuous improvement; in relations with the people involved, with
colleagues and with superiors they shall show correctness and a spirit of collaboration.
RINA personnel must respect the company’s assets; their use must be functional and exclusive to the performance
of the company’s activities, thus avoiding improper or fraudulent use or at any rate in contrast with the company’s
interests.
The information systems and their relative applications must be used in compliance with the internal security
systems; the use of these for purposes other than work is not allowed; with particular reference to Internet sites,
already regulated by internal rules, access to sites with vulgar or undignified content is forbidden, as is the use of
computers assigned to other people, without the authorization of the owner.
The information acquired during the course of work activities must remain classified, used exclusively to perform
one’s own work and managed in such a way as to guarantee its integrity and security.
All people working for the RINA Group of companies are to refuse any preferential treatment or other benefits, gifts
or forms of hospitality of an entity which go beyond a simple gesture of kindness or act of courtesy; in all situations
where this limit is exceeded, or there is a doubt, the person concerned is to inform his/her immediate superior so
that a proper decision can be taken.
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RELATIONSHIPS WITH
CLIENTS
Definition of Client
The Group considers its client anyone who buys its services or simply utilizes them.
Client Satisfaction
As regards relations with clients, mandatorily characterized by compliance with the laws and provisions in force, in
particular those regarding the protection of competition and the market, the companies of the Group, aware that
the core business is principally drawn by clients and the consequent necessity to maintain relations of trust with
them, and also reciprocal esteem and consideration, intend to meet their needs by supplying qualitatively high-
level services, under competitive conditions, avoiding discriminatory or incorrect behavior.
On this note, the utmost importance is given to conduct, towards clients, which is collaborative and efficient,
to the adoption of a communication system which is simple, clear and complete and to respect for contractual
commitments and obligations.
The principles to be followed by all RINA personnel in relations with the clientele are those of professionalism,
efficiency, correctness, availability and courtesy.
In commercial relations with new or regular clients, the forging or management of relations with persons of a
dubious reputation, poor reliability or those implicated in illegal activities are not permitted.
It is forbidden to offer or allocate to collaborators of clients (representatives, employees), presents, free gifts, or
other benefits with the purpose of deriving undue advantages, either personal or for the company.
14 ETHICAL CODE
RELATIONS WITH
SUPPLIERS AND
NON-EXCLUSIVE PERSONNEL
Supplier Definition
The Group defines a supplier as anyone who, whether an individual or legal entity, provides a product or service to
the company in return for a monetary payment.
In particular, Non-Exclusive Personnel (NES) are those who carry out technical services to support the activities of
the RINA Group and on its behalf.
Non-Exclusive Personnel
The non-exclusive personnel consist principally in a considerable (through size and importance) number of people
who, although not bound by an exclusive working relationship, perform activities of company interest, in the various
operative sectors.
The non-exclusive personnel are obliged to respect the principles of the Ethical Code; the same obligation applies
also to exclusive personnel during the selection and appointment of non-exclusive personnel.
Prior to taking on work for a client organization, the non-exclusive personnel are to inform their contact person in
RINA of any existing relationship or which has existed in the last 3 years with that organization.
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If the non-exclusive personnel, involved in third party activities, offer separately and autonomously, consultancy
services on the basis of the same standards or rules which are the subject of certification by RINA, they must make
it clear that their certification activities are entirely unrelated to the certification activities undertaken by RINA and
that their consultancy services are not to be understood in any way as a means to make it easier to obtain RINA
certification.
In any case, they are to inform RINA and abstain from carrying out third party assessment activities on its behalf,
if they have provided consultancy or similar services in relation to the items subject to assessment.
The information acquired during the activities carried out on behalf of the RINA Group is to remain confidential,
only used to carry out one’s own activities and managed in order to ensure integrity and security.
Control of Suppliers
In order to verify that RINA suppliers comply with the principles set out in this Code and abide by the relevant
obligations, the Group may implement control measures at the supplier’s production facilities and operational
premises.
16 ETHICAL CODE
RELATIONS WITH
THE COMMUNITY
The Community
The Group must be constantly aware of its own role and influence which its activities may have on the community,
in terms of components of the communities of various dimensions and characteristics.
In its various operational components, RINA is aware of the increasing needs of the community for a social context
of safety, quality, environmental sustainability, ethics.
Sustainability
Sustainability is one of the core values of the RINA Group and represents the company’s will to create a healthy
and long-lasting business.
Environment
The Environment is a primary good which RINA is committed to safeguarding; the Group is committed to protecting
the environment by operating in compliance with international standards and it wants, in this sense, to create
awareness also among the Code’s recipients.
In addition, RINA operates by observing the dictates of environmental legislation, which is reported in its
Organization, Management and Control Model.
Consequently, the companies of the Group show their commitment to initiating and maintaining forms of
communication with these bodies at international, national and local level, in addition to representing their own
interests in a thorough, coherent and honest way.
In relations with collaborators of governmental bodies (representatives, company boards, employees or consultants)
no conduct aimed at obtaining favorable treatment, offering or allocating to them or their relatives or other persons
affiliated through interest with them, even non-economic, benefits, money or gifts or other favors, is permitted.
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Representative expenses and other gifts are permitted only within the limits of moderate value, and providing that
these do not compromise the integrity and image of either party.
Elusive actions, through contributions in the form of sponsorship, consulting, awarding of a contract etc., in
relation to the above-mentioned prohibition, are expressly forbidden.
Company actions of economic support or other, with any of these organizations or their representatives, are not
permitted.
This prohibition is extended to all personnel of the companies of the Group. The personnel cannot, under any
circumstances, promise or give favors or economic benefits of any kind in order to favor the achievement of
company interests.
Elusive actions, through contributions in the form of sponsorship, consulting, awarding of a contract etc., in
relation to the above-mentioned prohibition, are expressly forbidden.
Transparent forms of relationships with the above-mentioned organizations, even with an economic aim or for the
development of own activities or types of co-operation of mutual interest, are permitted, provided that they are
clearly and correctly referable to the company aims of RINA and previously authorized by the departments in charge
of managing those relationships.
Media Organizations
Relationships with media organizations are characterized by correctness, spirit of collaboration and respect for the
right of information. These relations are the exclusive responsibility of the departments to which this is expressly
delegated.
RINA personnel may not release to journalists or other means of communication, even if contacted, any statements
or communication regarding the company to which they belong or other companies of the Group, unless previously
authorized.
18 ETHICAL CODE
Internal Audit
The Internal Audit function verifies compliance with the Code, receives observations and reports the results of this
activity to the Control Body.
Communication Channels
The Group ensures adequate communication channels with all its stakeholders in order to receive reports of
possible violations and comments on the Code.
Sanctions
Respect for the principles contained in this Code is a requirement for all managers, employees and consultants of
the RINA Group and all individuals who maintain a business relationship with the RINA Group. As a result, their
violation constitutes a breach of contractual obligations, with all the consequences prescribed by law, including,
where appropriate, termination of the contract and compensation for damages.
Information flows to the Control Body: Mandatory information
Any conduct not in line with the Ethical Code or the Organisation, Management and Control Model are to be
reported by e-mail to ODV.RSPA@rina.org or by letter sent to RINA S.p.A. via Corsica 12, 16145 Genova k.a.
Control Body. Those making the reports are protected from any form of reprisal, discrimination or penalization and
in any event confidentiality will be ensured with regard to the identity of those making reports, without prejudice
to the legal obligations and the protection of the rights of the company or the individuals accused wrongly or in
bad faith.
ETHICAL CODE
graphic design: Elefo
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