Ethics

A dedicated program

To convey our principles

Wherever we operate, our subsidiaries respect local cultures and traditions while also conveying the Group’s values through their actions and local commitment. 

In line with our Principles of action, we adhere to the highest standards in conducting business and are particularly committed to respecting human and labor rights and to protecting the environment.

We are committed to complying with all applicable laws and regulations, in particular regarding fair trade and we do not tolerate corruption in any form. Our behavior and actions are driven by the principles of integrity and transparency.

The Group’s ethics program aims to help employees develop their activities with integrity and transparency in compliance with our rules of conduct. It is based on a specific organization, the Group Code of Conduct and a whistleblowing system available for all.

A specific organization

To support the Ethics program monitoring

• The Ethics & Compliance Committee, gathering some of Air Liquide’s global functions (Human Resources, Legal, Group Control & Compliance, Sustainable Development) and Operations representatives, validates the program’s main guidelines and priority actions. It may, if necessary, make post-deviation sanction recommendations
• The Group Control and Compliance Department, responsible for Ethics, reports directly to one of the Group’s Executive Vice Presidents
• The Group Ethics Officer is responsible for providing guidance and support to entities in the implementation of the ethics program and in the treatment of fraud and deviations. He also suggests improvements to the ethics program, combining and building on strategic challenges, best practices, regulatory developments and annual action plans. He relies on a network of more than 50 Ethics correspondents present in each of the Group’s geographic regions and business lines

Group Code of conduct

A renewed Code and a common framework for all

The Group Code of conduct was updated in 2021. For instance, it now includes the Group's Anti-Corruption principles. The Code is deployed worldwide in 2022 and is available in 25 languages. It is supplemented by specific guides on the following topics:

• Competition Law by broad geographic area
• Digital Protection Code of Conduct
• Suppliers Code of Conduct

An e-learning module regarding employee Code of Conduct sets out the Group’s ethics approach and presents its key concepts through case scenarios. This module, renewed annually,  is mandatory and must be followed by all employees each year. On this occasion, individual commitment to adhering with the Code is required from employees.

Whistleblowing system

Available for all employees and stakeholders

EthiCall is the whistleblowing system of the Group whereby any person who has direct knowledge of inappropriate behavior regarding a variety of ethics, integrity and compliance issues (fraud, corruption, conflict of interest, harassment, discrimination, breach of competition law, protection of personal data, health and safety or environmental issues, etc.) can confidentially raise an alert.

Alerts can be raised in accordance with the December 9, 2016 “Sapin II” law, relating to transparency, the fight against corruption and the modernization of economic life, and the March 27, 2017 “duty of care” law relating to the duty of care of parent companies.