Laerdal Medical Code of Conduct for Business Relationships    

1. Our commitment and expectations

 1.1
Laerdal is dedicated to the mission of Helping Save Lives. We will do this through the advancement of resuscitation, patient safety and quality of healthcare, and saving lives at birth in low-resource settings. To achieve our mission, we will be working with enabling technologies, collaborative initiatives, and early interventions with high lifesaving potential and low cost to society.

1.2
However, we can’t do this alone. We recognise that our mission can only be achieved with the cooperation of our business partners (“Partners”) and therefore this Code of Conduct (the “Code”) reflects our continued work and contribution towards a responsible business conduct in our global activities. We expect our Partners to commit to the same or similar principles as those outlined in this Code. 

1.3
In our business activities, Laerdal is committed to act in an ethical, sustainable, and socially responsible manner, comply with applicable laws and regulations, and practice good corporate governance and respect internationally recognized standards on responsible business conduct. Laerdal is also committed to working according to the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (“UNGP’s”) https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/2 and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (“OECD”) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises http://mneguidelines.oecd.org/guidelines/.  

1.4
To ensure that work is performed according to these standards, Laerdal conducts regular impact assessments within the range of its core activities. 

1.5
Laerdal expects that its Partners assess the impact of their activities by either:

1. utilizing the same tools and methodology as Laerdal, or
2. documenting that any alternatives selected ensure compliance with the standards and can be used to adequately assess the impact of their activities, especially those that are directly linked to Laerdal.

1.6
Laerdal stands ready to collaborate with its Partners in this process of meeting the internationally agreed standards for responsible business conduct and assessing their impact. 

1.7
Laerdal has long been committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (“SDGs”), specifically SDG3 Ensuring Healthy Lives and Well-Being for All. Laerdal has been a member of the United Nations Global Compact https://www.unglobalcompact.org/ since 2015 and is strongly committed to the principles on human rights, labour, fighting corruption, and protecting the environment. 

2. Management Systems and Controls 

2.1
Partners shall have a management system in place, proportional to its size, complexity, and risk environment, to monitor impacts and to prevent, minimize, and remedy any severe impacts its operations have on the principles and standards included in this Code. 

2.2
Partners shall take reasonable steps to ensure that all its suppliers also comply with this Code. 

 

 

3. Reporting and mitigation of adverse effects

3.1
Partners shall implement and support a culture within their organization, as well as within their supply chain, of speaking up and reporting breaches or adverse effects without fear of retaliation. 

3.2
Partners shall, without undue delay, inform Laerdal of any severe impacts in their own or their supplier’s operations. 

3.3
Upon learning of any material breach within their operations, Partners shall investigate and implement appropriate corrective and preventive actions and monitor those actions to ensure they are effectively mitigating the impacts of the breach. 

3.4
Partners shall support their suppliers if their operations create severe impacts; and, regardless of where the severe impact occurs, ensure that Laerdal receives all relevant information. 

4. Responsible Business Conduct 

As part of the UNGP’s and OECD Guidelines mentioned earlier, Laerdal’s Partners are also expected to be aware of and comply with the following: 

4.1 Compliance with laws and regulations  

4.1.1
We expect and require our Partners to comply with all applicable laws and regulations in the countries and regions where operating when doing business for us. 

4.2 Fundamental human rights 

4.2.1
We expect that our Partners respect fundamental human rights in their own business, and that they require the same in their supply chains. 

4.2.2

Partners shall avoid causing or contributing to adverse impacts on human rights including:  

1. reduction and elimination of poverty; 
2. zero hunger; 
3. good health and well-being; 
4. quality education; 
5. gender equality; and 
6. reduced inequality within and among countries. 

4.3 Decent working conditions

4.3.1
Partners shall ensure that their operations comply with local laws and regulations as they relate to:  

1. a workplace free of forced or involuntary labour; 
2. a workplace free of child labour; 
3. a workplace free from discrimination; 
4. minimum wages, working hours, overtime compensation and legally mandated benefits; 
5. respecting the privacy of individuals and handle personal data responsibly and in compliance with applicable laws;  
6. freedom of association; and 
7. a safe and healthy workplace. 

4.4 Employee health and safety 

4.4.1
Partners shall ensure that its employees enjoy a safe and healthy workplace, which shall include: 

1. a fully satisfactory working environment both with respect to factors that may influence the employees' physical and mental health; 
2. focus on preventing accidents and occupational illnesses, in compliance with all applicable local law requirements and international standards; 
3. premises and operations which complies with prescribed safety regulations; and 
4. permission for employees to raise and react to any concerns that may represent a potential threat to or a risk to health and safety, or other forms of censurable conditions in the workplace. 

4.5 Protection of the Environment 

4.5.1
Partners shall conduct their business in a manner that prevents or mitigates environmental impact and embraces environmental sustainability and social responsibility. 

4.5.2
Partners are strongly encouraged to obtain a 3rd party CSR assessment.  

4.5.3
Partners are expected to have an effective environmental policy, and to comply with existing legislation and regulations regarding the protection of the environment and shall obtain environmental permits when required. 

4.5.4
Partners shall wherever possible support a precautionary approach to environmental matters, undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility, and encourage the diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies implementing sound life-cycle practices. 

4.5.5
Partners are expected to calculate and provide the carbon footprint of products and services sold to Laerdal, if necessary for Laerdal’s reporting obligations under applicable legislation.  

4.5.6
Partners are encouraged to monitor, track, and document its emissions to air, water, and soil from its facilities, as well as the wastewater generated by its operations.  

4.5.7
Our Partners are encouraged to implement a systematic approach to identify, manage, reduce, and responsibly dispose of or recycle solid waste.  

4.5.8
Partners must manage chemicals, waste and other materials posing a hazard to humans or the environment to ensure safe handling, movement, storage, use, recycling or reuse, and disposal. 

4.6 Anti-bribery and corruption 

4.6.1
Partners shall not directly or indirectly, offer, promise, give, or demand a bribe or other undue advantage to obtain or retain business or other improper advantages. 

4.6.2
Partners shall never offer, promise or give undue financial or other advantage to public officials or the employees of business partners in order to obtain business or gain other improper advantages. 

4.6.3
Partners shall not use third parties such as agents and other intermediaries, consultants, representatives, distributors, consortia, contractors, and suppliers for diverting undue pecuniary advantages. 

4.6.4
Reasonable rewarding of intermediaries is permissible but must be transparent. 

4.6.5
Partners shall openly reject any kind of bribery and extortion. 

4.7 Product traceability and conflict minerals 

4.7.1
Partners shall ensure that minerals and products delivered to Laerdal are of legal origin and can be traced properly, particularly for materials.  

4.7.2
Partners shall have a policy and controls in place to monitor and prevent the use of materials sourced illegally or unethically.  

4.7.3
Partners shall support efforts to eradicate the use of conflict materials that directly or indirectly finance or benefit armed groups or that are perpetrators of serious human rights abuses.  

4.7.4
Partners are expected to conduct due diligence and provide Laerdal with evidence of their sources and chain of custody certification for raw materials upon request. 

4.8 Sanctions and export control 

4.8.1
Partners shall comply with all applicable sanctions and export controls regulations.  

4.8.2
Partners shall not make use of, or offer products or services subject to sanctions, and it shall not export goods in breach of applicable export controls regulations. 

4.8.3
Partners shall not cause Laerdal to be in violation of sanctions issued by Norway, European Union (EU), United Kingdom (UK), United States (US), Canada or the UN or other applicable sanctions regimes in connection with the supply of goods or services to Laerdal. This means that Laerdal may be refrained from working with Partners that do business in countries or areas subject to comprehensive or country-wide sanctions or with third parties located or registered in such countries or areas, or with sanctioned counterparties. 

5. Moving Forward...Together 

5.1 Current Status

5.1.1
Laerdal understands and accepts that Partners and their suppliers may be at different stages of implementation and compliance with the standards and principles in this Code. At the same time, it is important for the Partners to understand that Laerdal considers compliance with the Code and willingness to implement corrective actions, when selecting its Partners. 

5.2.1
Laerdal strongly believes that transparency between Partners is essential to achieve the desired results. 

5.2.2
Laerdal expects and requires that Partners and their suppliers will be honest and open when Laerdal requests documentation regarding compliance with the Code or implementation and monitoring of corrective or preventive actions intended to reduce or eliminate severe impacts. 

5.3 Sharing 

5.3.1
The duty and responsibility to be transparent is mutual.  Therefore, Laerdal is committed to: 

1. sharing what it has learned from experts in the field and its own experience through its journey of continuous improvement in social responsibility; and 
2. sharing its own continuing challenges in the field as well as its view of risks and strategies for mitigating any adverse effects its operations may have on sustainable development. 

5.4 Consequences 

5.4.1
While Laerdal expects its Partners to cooperate and comply fully with the principles and standards in the Code, failure to do so or implement corrective actions, or continuing activities with severe impacts may result in the modification or termination of the business relationship. 

5.4.2
Both the Partners and Laerdal agree to comply with the principles, standards, requirements, and responsibilities included in this Laerdal Medical Code of Conduct for Business Relationships.