Ethical channel
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The DIA Group remains committed to compliance with current regulations at all levels, and it has control and monitoring tools in place that ensure the correct functioning and operation of all the stakeholder groups that form part of the company. These mechanisms are incorporated in the corporate management systems and are updated on a regular basis, ensuring a perfect balance between the best business opportunities and risk management.
With its corporate values (Effectiveness, Initiative, Respect, Team and Customer) serving as the foundation, the DIA Group has a Code of Ethics implemented in all the countries, where it draws up the conduct guidelines that must be followed by the people participating in the company’s activity.
In previous financial years, it has worked on the modification and updating of its Code of Ethics, while deciding to open it up to other day-to-day players of the company, such as suppliers, franchisees and contractors. In 2016, the company worked on the dissemination and communication of this new version to raise awareness of the Code and of DIA’s compliance model in all countries.
Through virtual training, 2,981 employees have completed a course that explains the key points of this code in Spain and China. For the coming year, it is expected that this training will be continued in the rest of the countries. In turn, the Ethics Committee is responsible for managing matters arising under the Code of Ethics through its own channel, always with a guarantee of confidentiality, anonymity, and respect.
Quarterly, during 2016, the Ethics Committees of each country disclosed to the corporate Ethics Committee a detailed breakdown of the consultations and/or communications received in the immediately preceding quarter, indicating the reference or registration number, date of receipt, collective complainant (employee, franchisee, service or goods provider and others), the ethical principal infringed, assessment of reliability/accuracy of the facts that are the subject of the communication, current status of the file and, where appropriate, resolution of the same. Also, on an annual basis, a report is presented to the Audit and Compliance Committee, facilitating detailed consolidated statistical information at a Group level in accordance with the information received from each of the jurisdictions.
Use of ethical channel
Code of ethics
- We comply with the rules and respect people. Compliance with the rules and respect for people constitute the basis of our ethical behaviour.
- We are ethical in our decisions and relations: we say no to corruption. The DIA Group is aware that individual success is only possible as a collective. And collective success is only possible from an ethical standpoint.
- We protect assets and information. We are rigorous, professional people, loyal to the company. We make the best use of the assets and resources that the DIA Group places at our disposal, remembering that we must limit their use, in general, to strictly professional purposes.
- We are committed to the customer and to society. We compete fairly, avoiding manipulation, deceit or any other type of behaviour that might unduly place us in a favourable position.
- We lead by example. We are responsible for ensuring that our company maintains the ethical conduct that we desire. Our values and behaviour principles are not merely words, they must determine our behaviour every day.
In financial year 2016, the ethical and information consultation channel received a total of 80 communications, of which 53 were complaints and 27 were consultations. Of the 53 complaints, 46 were filed by employees (87%), 2 by suppliers (4%) and the other 5 (9%) were anonymous. At 31 December, 36 of the complaints had been resolved and 17 remain under investigation.
Of the complaints resolved, 24 were closed due to lack of evidence (67%); 9 were resolved with training and coaching actions for those reported (25%); disciplinary measures of dismissal were applied in two cases, including a director (5%); and the last was resolved upon communication of the voluntary resignation of the person against whom the claim was brought (3%).
Regarding consultations, 19 were raised by employees (70%), 6 by suppliers (22%) and 2 by franchisees (8%). At 31 December, 24 consultations were resolved and 3 remained under analysis.
Of the consultations resolved, in 11 the concerns were resolved directly by the Ethics Committee (46%); 7 were transferred to the management department, where the issue raised by the sender was clarified or solved (29%) and 6 were transferred to the Human Resources department in order to directly resolve the doubts of the employee (25%).
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