Questions & Answers

Standard Industries Ethics Hotline – Frequently Asked Questions

Standard Industries Ethics Hotline - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Standard Industries Ethics Hotline?

The Standard Industries Ethics Hotline enables anyone across our businesses to report concerns or seek guidance regarding the principles outlined in our Code of Conduct, our corporate policies (including alleged fraud, abuse, and other misconduct in the workplace), and applicable laws. Given the global nature of our businesses, the Hotline is available in a variety of languages.

The Standard Industries Ethics Hotline is supported by an independent third-party service provider, NAVEX, and its case management application, EthicsPoint.

Why do we have an Ethics Hotline?

We believe that acting ethically and with integrity is essential, and we want to empower our employees to do the right thing and speak up if and when they have concerns. The Standard Industries Ethics Hotline enables anyone across our entities to report concerns or behavior that is in opposition to the principles outlined in our Code of Conduct, corporate policies, and applicable laws. Where permissible by law, reports can be submitted anonymously, and all reports will be treated with the utmost confidentiality.

Reporting - General

What type of situations should I report?

You should report any activity or behavior that contradicts with the principles outlined in our Code of Conduct, corporate policies, or applicable laws. This includes but is not limited to matters regarding:

Diversity, Equal Opportunity, and Workplace Respect
Financial and Business Integrity
Health and Environmental Safety
Misuse of Personal or Corporate Information
Physical and Cyber Security
Potential Violation of Law
I Don’t Know/Other

Why is it important to report a concern?

Violations of our Code of Conduct, corporate policies, and/or the law can put our people and our business at risk. Each of us has the responsibility to act ethically and to raise any observations or concerns that we have about unethical or inappropriate behavior in the workplace. We fully investigate all concerns to ensure that matters are properly addressed and to minimize the potential for any negative impacts to the company.

How do I report a concern?

For employees who have a concern, report it as soon as possible. Concerns can be reported directly to your manager, Human Resources, Internal Audit, Security, and/or Legal. Note that concerns related to insider trading or material non-public information should exclusively be directed to your company’s General Counsel. For a full list of internal resources available to you, please consult our Reporting Policy.

Concerns can also be reported via desktop or mobile on the Standard Industries Ethics Hotline or via phone by calling the local hotline telephone number, which can be accessed at standardindustries.ethicspoint.com. If you choose to report your concerns telephonically, the hotline representatives will type your responses directly into the hotline’s secure environment.

If you don’t feel comfortable reporting a concern through the Standard Industries Ethics Hotline on your work PC or mobile device, you can use a device outside of the work environment to access the hotline.

Reports are treated with equal security and confidentiality, regardless of whether submitted by online or by phone.

What if I remember something important about the incident after I report the concern?

When you report a concern via the Standard Industries Ethics Hotline either using the online portal or through the telephone hotline, you will receive a unique report key and are asked to select a password. With the report key and your password, you can return to the system again, either online or by phone, to access the original report or submit additional details.

Where does my concern go?

Once you report a concern online or by phone, it is entered directly into the secure server of our third-party administrator, NAVEX. The report is then reviewed by certain designated representatives from the relevant business and function.

Who can access the reported concern?

Only certain designated representatives within the relevant business and function can access the reported concern. The concern is shared only to the extent necessary to investigate and, if necessary, address the reported issue. Where permissible by law, reports can be submitted anonymously, and all reports will be treated with the utmost confidentiality.

Reporting Securely & Confidentiality

How is my privacy protected through the Standard Industries Ethics Hotline?

Where permissible by law, reports can be submitted anonymously, and all reports will be treated with the utmost confidentiality. Our third-party hotline administrator, NAVEX, is prohibited from pursuing a reporter's identity. To further ensure your anonymity, when submitting a concern avoid including any details that would reveal your identity.

Can I report a concern from home and still remain anonymous?

No matter where and through what device you report a concern, your identity will remain protected and concealed wherever permitted by local law. Identifying information, such as IP addresses, is excluded from the report in order to maintain anonymity and confidentiality. NAVEX is contractually committed not to pursue a reporter's identity.

Does it help if I identify myself?

Investigating a report is usually faster and more efficient if those investigating the concern are able to follow up on the issue directly with the person reporting the matter. If you have identified yourself, the team will make every reasonable effort to respect your confidentiality. Your identity will not be disclosed unless necessary for carrying out a proper investigation, required in the course of legal proceedings, or as required by local laws or local company mandates.

We will not tolerate any form of retaliation for reporting a concern in good-faith.

How can I follow up on the status of a submitted report?

Once you have finished reporting your concern, you will be provided with a report key (a reference number) and asked to create a password. You can follow up on a report using your report key and password through the Standard Industries Ethics Hotline or by calling the telephone hotline.

You may need to wait a few days after your submission before you can monitor progress and check whether you are being asked for additional information. You can check on the status of a report to see whether it is open or has been resolved, but details related to the investigation cannot be provided to allow for protection of any parties involved.

What if I lose my report key or password?

In order to maintain the highest level of confidentiality, you will be asked to report a new concern if you lose either your report key or your password. You should mention that your new report relates to one reported earlier.

Tips & Best Practices

I am aware of some individuals involved with unethical conduct, but it doesn't affect me. Should I report the matter?

Yes. All unethical conduct, at any level, ultimately hurts the company and our employees. If you are made aware of any incident of alleged misconduct or an ethical violation, consider it your responsibility to report a concern.

I am not sure if what I have observed or heard is a violation of our Code of Conduct, company policy, applicable law, or involves unethical conduct, but it does not look right to me. What should I do?

Report your concern. It is better to report a situation that turns out to be harmless than let a possible unethical or illegal behavior go unchecked because of uncertainty.

As noted in our Reporting Policy, we are committed to maintaining an environment in which individuals can report, without fear of retaliation, any conduct that they know to be or believe to be in violation of Company guidelines or policies, or the laws of each country in which our companies do business.

What if my boss or other managers are involved in a violation? Will they get the report?

The Standard Industries Ethics Hotline is designed so that implicated parties are not notified about or granted access to reports in which they have been named, unless required by local laws.

What if you have questions for me concerning my report?

Those responsible for investigating your concern can post questions for you within the online portal, even if you report anonymously. When you receive your report key, you will also receive an estimated processing time for the report. When that time has passed, we suggest you check to see if any questions have been posted to aid in the investigation.

Are follow-ups on reports as secure as the initial report?

All correspondence is held in the same strict confidence as the initial report, continuing under the umbrella of anonymity to the extent permitted by local law and company policies.

Can I still report a concern if I don't have access to the internet?

If you do not have access to, or are uncomfortable using a computer or mobile device, you can call the telephone hotline, which is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. International dialing options are available by country on the Standard Industries Ethics Hotline when you click “Report a Concern.”