Focus area: Ethics
Our high standards for responsible business practice and our employees’ and business partners’ ethical behavior are supported by ambitious annual targets.
Our ethics targets
Atlas Copco Group aims to earn the trust of everyone impacted by our operations, by building relationships based on integrity, fairness, and respect – this is a vital part of the Group’s culture and we expect the same high standards from our business partners.
We do not tolerate corruption or bribery in any form, directly or through third parties. Firm disciplinary actions will be taken on any violation of this rule. This applies to all employees, as well as to the Board of Directors, and in all business dealings and transactions wherever we operate.
Working with business partners who share Atlas Copco Group’s respect for human rights and high standards regarding the environment, safety, quality and business conduct is central to efficiently manage risks and enhance sustainability along the value chain. We therefore work continuously to assess and reduce the risks associated with our value chain.
Following up our progress
Code of Conduct
To make sure all our employees are aware of our Code of Conduct and what is expected of them, we put significant weight on communication, training, and monitoring. All employees are required to complete a leader-led ethics training every two years. Every employee is also required to take an annual training and sign a Code of Conduct compliance statement.
In 2023, a new ethics training was rolled out to all employees in the Group. The training includes examples of ethical dilemmas, covering all aspects of the Code of Conduct, and participants are invited to discuss how the different situations should be handled. By the end of 2023, 99% of our employees (excluding employees that were hired during the year) had participated in the new leader-led training and 99% had signed the annual compliance statement.
Code of Conduct and our business partners
All significant business partners must commit to our Code of Conduct by signing our Business Partner Criteria. The document has been translated into more than 30 languages and is available on this website. At the end of 2023, 90% of our significant suppliers had signed the compliance statement.
Code of Conduct and our distributors
Atlas Copco Group requires that all significant distributors commit to our Code of Conduct by signing our Business Partner Criteria. Distributors who represent the bulk of the sales value or who operate in high-risk markets are prioritized. At the end of 2023, 94% of our significant distributors had signed the compliance statement.
