Code of Conduct for Business Relationships

1. Introduction

Relevans expects its Business Relationships to implement and maintain a management system that is fully aligned with the Standard.

2. Management Requirements

Relevans expects its Business Relationships to implement and maintain a management system that is fully aligned with the Standard.

Scope

The required management system shall, at a minimum, address:

• Adverse impacts on the human rights stated in the International Bill of Human Rights, including the core labour rights from the International Labour Organisation’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work;
• Significant adverse impacts on the external environment in relation to the areas addressed by the OECD Guidelines, including the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, including the climate as reflected in the Paris Agreement; and
• Significant risks of adverse impacts on anti-corruption, as related to the scope outlined by the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

The implementation includes the following actions:

Adopt a Policy Statement

The Policy Statement of our Business Relationships shall

• Be approved at the most senior level of the company;
• Be informed by expertise in the UNGPs and OECD;
• Stipulate BR’s expectations of its employees and its business relationships;
• Be publicly available and communicated both internally and externally; and
• Be embedded in operational policies and procedures throughout the

Establish and Maintain a Due Diligence Process

Business Relationships shall establish a process that allows for regular assessments of actual and potential adverse impacts on the Scope, confer II.I above. BR shall act to prevent or mitigate the actual or potential adverse impacts identified, and these actions shall be tracked to ensure effectiveness. BR are expected to engage impacted stakeholders in this process and to communicate findings, actions taken, and ongoing status to impacted stakeholders as well as other relevant stakeholders, including Relevans.

Provide for access to remedy

Where the Business Relationship identifies that they cause or contribute to actual adverse impacts on the Scope, the BR must provide access to remedy through legitimate processes (grievance mechanisms) for those affected. Notification of relevant authorities may also be necessary.

If the BR are linked to actual severe adverse impacts, but do not cause or contribute to them, the BR must use or build leverage to encourage the causing or contributing entity to cease the impacts and prevent or mitigate reoccurrence.

3. Collaboration

Relevans has also implemented the requirements outlined in this CoC and is prepared to share information or documentation with its Business Relationships.

Should our BR experience that Relevans’ actions or omissions contribute to adverse impacts with them or cause adverse impacts on BR or their employees, BR should notify Relevans.  

This CoCBR applies to Relevans’s first-tier BR. Our first-tier BR shall expect their first-tier business relationships to have similar and adequate processes in place to manage adverse impacts on the Scope, as outlined by the minimum standard (UNGPs/OECD).

If severe adverse impacts are identified in BR’s value chains, the BR must use or build leverage to make the causing entity(ies) adequately address such impacts and undertake reasonable efforts to ensure that such entity(ies) operate in accordance with the Standard.

BR must maintain appropriate records to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of this CoCBR. Appropriate records include: A policy commitment, documentation of due diligence processes, including operational-level impact assessments and transparent records on tracking effectiveness of actions, documented grievance mechanisms, and requirements to business relationships.

This CoCBR form a foundation for the collaboration with our Business Relationships to pursue continuous improvements in managing adverse impacts on the Scope. Should BR not have implemented a management system in alignment with this CoCBR at the time of engagement, an implementation plan should be developed and, if requested, presented to Relevans. Relevans expects Business Relationships at any time to be able to declare their stage of implementation in relation to the requirements contained in this CoCBR.

If Relevans’ BR cause, contribute to, or are linked to actual severe impacts on the Scope, BR shall notify the public or Relevans immediately. The notification shall include an account of BR’s actions to end the severe impacts and to prevent or mitigate their re-occurrence. If BR neglect to notify the public or Relevans of and cease severe impacts, or if they demonstrate a lack of willingness to meet the Standard, Relevans reserves the right to end the business relationship immediately.

Relevans – Code of Conduct for Business Relationships August 26th, 2025