Sustainability / Governance
68 I Jotun Group Report 2021 Fighting corruption
Jotun’s “zero tolerance” approach to unethical business practices is clearly defined and
reinforced through training as well as a confidential system tha t allows Jotun personnel to
report suspect behaviour.
Jotun puts ethical business conduct at the heart of its
operations and works actively against corruption. Corruption
and bribery are threats to economic development and
contribute to poverty and the erosion of the rule of law. Jotun
acknowledges its responsibility to customers, shareholders,
employees and local communities to maintain its integrity and
align its business with high ethical standards as defined by
Jotun Values and Jotun Business Principles.
CLEAR POLICY, ACTIVE TRAINING
Jotun’s Anti-Corruption Policy defines expected ethical
business practices and clarifies expectations for all employees.
The Policy provides an overview of Jotun’s approach to
anti-corruption and provides employees with a detailed
description of rules they are required to follow to avoid
corrupt practices in connection with their business activities.
All new hires are required to complete dedicated training so
they fully understand what behaviour is expected and how
to recognise, resist and report corruption. These policies
and expectations for responsible conduct are periodically
reinforced through additional training.
Jotun acknowledges that individuals working within different
functions in the local companies are vulnerable to potentially
corrupt scenarios. Consequently, Jotun has dedicated teams
of trainers who conduct anti-corruption training in order to
enforce uniform standards. The most important part of these
training modules is discussing dilemmas, which encourages
open dialogue and personal reflections. Such discussions have
proven effective in creating the “right attitude” by helping
employees identify potential issues related to local market
challenges. In 2021, Jotun conducted anti-corruption training
courses in nearly all regions. In countries where lockdowns
were in place due to the coronavirus pandemic, courses were
conducted via MS Teams.
WHISTLE-BLOWING
Jotun has established a formal communication channel for
reporting unacceptable behaviour relating to Jotun’s business
activities, which is available to both employees and external
stakeholders. All reports are handled confidentially. The
channel ensures anonymity and whistle-blowers are protected
and treated with respect. Jotun encourages individuals to
report suspected violations of Jotun’s Business Principles,
national laws and environmental regulations, as well as
incidents of discrimination and harassment, fraud, theft,
embezzlement, false financial reporting, conflicts of interest
and other potentially questionable actions or behaviour.
By having a clear policy and an accessible and safe channel
for reporting unacceptable behaviour, Jotun sends a clear
message to employees and other stakeholders that the
company will not tolerate nor knowingly participate in any
form of corruption or unethical conduct.