Our fundamental promises to and requirements for our placemakers are anchored in our Code of Conduct. It is available in 22 languages and sets requirements to the personal conduct of all placemakers and provides fundamental principles that we will abide by in our people practices including commitments on upholding the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the ten Principles of the UN Global Compact and the Core Conventions of the International Labour Organisation. It directly addresses child labour, forced labour and trafficked labour. Our Code of Conduct is supported by several policies most notably our Global People Standards, our Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Policy and our Group HSEQ Policy. All placemakers are required to take mandatory Code of Conduct training to ensure that the basic principles are known and understood. The Global People Standards provide a systematic and consistent approach to managing our people and others providing services under our direction and covers themes within human rights, labour practices, health and safety, legal compliance and supply chain management. Examples of specific topics covered are recruitment, promotion and termination, discrimination, diversity & inclusion, appraisals, learning & development, employee relations, health, safety & working environment, remuneration, working hours, protection of families with children and the right to privacy. The Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Policy provides a consistent global framework and governance to support our commitment to a global diversity, inclusion & belonging agenda and provides an environment and drive a culture that actively values diversity and inclusion at all levels of the organisation and that provides an environment of equal opportunity. The Group HSEQ Policy provides our commitment and approach towards systematically improving our health and safety, environment and quality practices across the organisation (e.g. through engaging with employees and suppliers (including sub-suppliers). It is supported by our HSEQ Management System Manual which is aligned to ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 and delivered through global minimum management and operational standards.

The organization has made available a Speak Up channel for placemakers as well as business partners and other stakeholders. Reports can be made anonymously or non-anonymously by phone or electronic form to an independent third-party or personally to the Head of Group Internal Audit. The Speak Up Policy refers to the EU external reporting channels available in countries for any matters that reporters are not comfortable reporting through ISS’s available grievance mechanisms. Ordinary grievance mechanisms are supported by the Escalation Policy, which ensures that serious events across the organization are ultimately escalated to the EGM level. Incidents covered by the scope of the Code of Conduct and Speak Up Policy are also covered by the Escalation Policy. When incidents or information within the scope of the Speak Up Policy is escalated outside the Speak Up reporting channel, it will manually be recorded within the Speak Up system.