Supplier Code of Conduct
Compliance and Audits
At Heartland our reputation for conducting business in a lawful and ethical manner is important to our continued success, and it is our policy to comply with all applicable United States laws against corruption, as well as any applicable laws in other jurisdictions in which we may conduct business. We expect our suppliers to adhere to the same standards.
- General Compliance: Suppliers must comply with all applicable local, national, and international laws and regulations.
- Audits & Inspections: Heartland reserves the right to conduct audits or inspections to verify compliance with this code. Suppliers must cooperate and provide requested documentation.
- Corrective Actions & Termination: Failure to comply with this Code may result in corrective actions, contract termination, or legal consequences.
Ethical Business Practices
We are committed to conducting business with integrity and transparency. As a supplier, you must adhere to the following principles:
- Prohibition of Bribery: Suppliers must not engage in any form of bribery, including offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting anything of value to influence business decisions.
- Fair Competition & Antitrust: Suppliers must engage in fair business practices, avoiding price-fixing, collusion, or other anticompetitive behavior.
- Conflicts of Interest: Suppliers should disclose any potential conflicts of interest with Heartland employees, including personal relationships or financial interests.
Conflict Minerals
We are dedicated to ensuring that our products do not contain conflict minerals that finance armed conflict.
- Source Responsibly: Suppliers must ensure that the minerals used in their products are sourced responsibly and do not contribute to human rights abuses.
- Due Diligence: Suppliers must conduct due diligence on the source and chain of custody of conflict minerals and provide documentation upon request.
- Compliance: Suppliers must comply with all relevant laws and regulations regarding conflict minerals.
Respecting Human Rights
We are committed to enforcing labor and human rights.
- Child Labor and Forced Labor: It is expected that our business and all affiliated partners also commit to conducting operations and business practices in a manner consistent with international law, including the elimination of child labor and forced labor. Suppliers must maintain accurate records of the age of all employees and provide verification upon request. If child labor or forced labor is found, suppliers must take immediate steps to remediate the situation in accordance with our guidelines and local laws.
- Wages and Working Hours: Suppliers must comply with minimum wage laws, overtime regulations, and ensure fair working conditions.
- Freedom of Association: Suppliers must respect employees’ rights to organize, bargain collectively, or join trade unions without retaliation.
Environmental, Health, and Safety
We promote and provide a safe, secure and healthy workplace for all employees and contractors. Our ultimate goal is to give our employees and all associated businesses a healthy and accident-free workplace.
- Risk Mitigation: To mitigate work-related risks, we ask that our suppliers and contractors comply with relevant occupational health and safety rules and regulations and establish company policies that seek to further reduce the occurrence of accidents.
- Whistleblower Protections: We also expect our suppliers to empower their employees with the responsibility to express any health or safety concerns they may have regarding their work environment without retaliation.
- Sustainable Sourcing: Suppliers should adopt responsible sourcing practices for raw materials and minimize environmental impact.
- Carbon Footprint Reduction: Suppliers should actively work toward reducing emissions, waste, and energy consumption.
Conclusion
By adhering to these principles, our suppliers help us maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct and social responsibility. We expect all suppliers to comply with this policy and to ensure that their own suppliers and subcontractors do the same. This Supplier Code of Conduct is not an exhaustive list of all expectations, obligations, or compliance requirements. For further details on specific requirements, reporting procedures, and additional expectations, please refer to our Supplier Handbook, available upon request.