Transparency

Introduction and purpose

Purpose

The Association adopts this Code, to be understood as an official document, which sets out the values to which all stakeholders must conform, accepting responsibilities, structures, roles and rules, for any breach of which they assume personal responsibility both internally and externally.
Awareness and observance of the Code, duly publicised by the Association, by all members, are primary conditions for its transparency and reputation.

The Code of Conduct consists of:
– general ethical principles, which identify the reference values in the Association’s activities/processes;
– rules of conduct, which provide the guidelines and standards that the recipients of the Code are required to comply with;
– implementation mechanisms, which set out the control system for the proper application of the Code and for its continuous improvement.

Structure

Governing Bodies

Appointments of the members of the Governing Bodies must take place through transparent procedures. The Bodies act and deliberate with full knowledge of the facts and in complete autonomy, pursuing the objective of creating value for the Association and in compliance with the principles of legality, fairness and integrity. The decisions of their members must be independent, that is, based on their free judgement and aimed at pursuing the interests of the Association.
Independence of judgement is an essential requirement of decision-making; therefore, members must ensure maximum transparency in the implementation and management of transactions in which they have an interest. In particular, the members of the Board of Directors are individually required to perform their role with diligence, professionalism and active participation, thereby enabling the Association to benefit from their specific expertise.

Operating rules

Dissemination and observance of the Code

The Association promotes awareness and observance of the Code among all members, requiring compliance with it and providing, in the event of non-compliance, appropriate disciplinary sanctions. Everyone is therefore required to know the content of the Code, to comply with it and to contribute to its implementation, reporting any shortcomings and/or violations (or even only attempted violations) of which they become aware.
The Association also promotes the dissemination and knowledge of the Code through training/information and awareness-raising activities for its members and third parties in general.
Membership of Women in Plastics Italy implies, as stated above, observance of the applicable legislation as well as the acceptance of and full adherence to all the other founding documents of the Association.

Relations with public and private entities

The conduct of the Association is aimed at cooperation and mutual trust with all public and private entities (individuals, groups, companies, institutions) that, for any reason, have contact with it and/or have an interest in the activities it carries out.

Relations with Stakeholders

Women in Plastics Italy intends to develop, also through the Code of Ethics, a relationship of trust with its Stakeholders, that is, with those categories of individuals, commercial companies, groups, associations or institutions which, in various ways, may contribute to the pursuit of its mission.
Women in Plastics Italy maintains constructive, ongoing and transparent relations with all parties with whom it interacts, with particular regard to public administrations, professional and institutional organisations, the media, sector organisations and schools, with a view to improving the quality of training.

Relations with funders

In order to avoid the emergence of competing or conflicting interests, Women in Plastics Italy undertakes to accept funds intended to support the Association and its specific projects, managing them in a fully autonomous and independent manner for the performance of predetermined activities.
All this is in compliance with the Association’s independence and transparency which, since its foundation, while recognising the primary importance of funding provided by third parties (or sponsorships or partnerships), undertakes to maintain its non-profit nature in the management of its financial resources and its activities.

Relations with suppliers

Women in Plastics Italy develops relationships with its suppliers based on fairness and integrity, avoiding any risk of conflicts of interest and being guided exclusively by criteria of professionalism and competence.
Suppliers are encouraged to carry out their activities in accordance with standards of conduct consistent with those set out in the Code of Ethics; in particular, they must ensure respect for the rights of their workers and manage environmental and social impacts responsibly. Information concerning employees, suppliers, directors and members is processed by Women in Plastics Italy confidentially and in compliance with the legislation on the protection of privacy.

Communication

Activities such as the publication of documents, the granting of interviews, public presentations or communication activities that are in any way connected with or representative of Women in Plastics Italy must not damage the image of the Association and must comply, on any communication channel, whether offline or online, with language and an approach consistent with the Code of Ethics and the values of the Association. These activities, where they involve or are directly or indirectly connected to the Association, are also subject to prior authorisation by the Board of Directors.
The Association ensures that intellectual property rights owned by Women in Plastics Italy and by third parties are respected, including copyright, trademarks, logos, patents and confidential information.

Web and Social Media Policy

This section is intended to invite Members to maintain a correct and responsible approach towards new means of communication and suggests appropriate and informed use of existing digital communication channels (social media, blogs, website, etc.) and any future channels, especially when the activity may have an impact, even potential, on the responsibility and reputation of Women in Plastics Italy.
In addition to the use of language appropriate to the style of the social media platform used, the rules for web writing of any other text continue to apply: checking sources, writing in correct Italian (or any other language), writing only about facts that are certain and verified, being transparent, not showing disrespect towards individuals and/or companies (public or private), groups or categories of people and institutions, and avoiding comparative communication.
Finally, the rules of good manners must always be respected, in particular those of netiquette on the web (the code of conduct for the Internet). Improper use of such media may seriously damage the image and reputation of the Association and, consequently, of the professionals who work with it.

Non-derogable principles

Founding principles

The Association bases its work on improving the quality of work and of society, in particular for women, through its professional role in the sector, experience and personal value. Women in Plastics Italy pursues the ideal of a non-profit organisation and Members consider the development of the non-profit world to be the dominant principle of associative life, undertaking to exclude any interference deriving from individual interests that are not compatible with the shared aims.
The achievement of the Association’s objectives is pursued by all those who operate within the Association with loyalty, seriousness, honesty, competence and transparency, in full compliance with the Laws and Regulations in force.
Compliance with the Laws, transparency and correctness in management, trust and cooperation are the ethical principles to which the Association is inspired and from which it derives its models of conduct. All those who operate within the Association, without distinction or exception, are therefore committed to observing and ensuring observance of these principles.

Responsibility, compliance with Laws and Regulations

In pursuing the Association’s mission, the conduct of all recipients of the Code must be inspired by an ethic of responsibility.
The Association has, as an essential principle, compliance with the Laws and Regulations in force in Italy (and in all the countries in which it operates), in respect of the democratic order established therein, in accordance with the principles laid down in the Code, in the manifesto and in the other founding documents of the Association. Moral integrity is a constant duty of all those who work for the Association.
Relations with the Authorities by those who act on behalf of Women in Plastics Italy must be based on the utmost fairness, transparency and cooperation, in full compliance with the Laws and Regulations and with their institutional functions.
If there is any doubt as to how to proceed, appropriate information must be requested from the Association.

Rules of conduct

All work activities of those who operate for the Association must be carried out with professional commitment, moral integrity and correctness in management, including in order to protect the image of Women in Plastics Italy.
The conduct and relationships of all those who, in various capacities, operate in the interest of the Association, both inside and outside it, must be inspired by the principles of transparency, fairness, efficiency, a spirit of service and mutual respect.
In this context, the Board of Directors must first and foremost, through its actions, set an example for all members by adhering, in the performance of its functions, to the guiding principles of the Code, ensuring that it is disseminated among Members and encouraging them to submit requests for clarification or proposals for updating where necessary. Women in Plastics Italy pays the utmost attention to respect for fundamental human rights. The Association establishes relationships based on respect for human dignity and the fundamental guarantees recognised by national and supranational laws to all individuals.
The Association bases its identity on the principle that human dignity is inviolable and must be respected and protected (Art. 1 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union).
It follows that Women in Plastics Italy undertakes to offer all its human resources a positive and stimulating environment, guaranteeing all Members recognition and respect for their dignity, their rights and their cultural and individual diversity, while at the same time seeking to create a strong Group culture.
• The principle of transparency is based on truthfulness, accuracy and completeness.
• The principle of fairness implies respect for the rights, including in terms of privacy and equal opportunities, of all those who are involved in their work and professional activity.
• The principle of efficiency requires that, in every activity, the economical management of the resources used be pursued and that a commitment be made to offer an adequate service in relation to the needs expressed.
• The principle of a spirit of service implies that each recipient of the Code must always orient their conduct towards the sharing of the Vision and Mission of Women in Plastics Italy, which aim to provide a service of high social value and utility to the community.
• The principle of mutual respect entails non-discrimination of any kind of diversity (physical, cultural, religious, etc.), as well as cooperation among the various Members regardless of hierarchies.

Women in Plastics Italy intends to develop the value of competition by adopting principles of fairness, fair competition and transparency towards all stakeholders.
In carrying out its activities, the Association undertakes to safeguard Safety and the Environment.

Gifts, donations, payments, promises of favours, benefits and other advantages

The Association prohibits all those who operate in its interest, in its name or on its behalf from accepting, offering or promising, even indirectly, money, gifts, goods, services, performances, benefits or undue favours (whether direct or indirect and also in terms of employment opportunities) in connection with relations with public officials, persons charged with a public service, public employees or private parties, funders and suppliers, in order to influence their decisions with a view to obtaining more favourable treatment or undue services, or for any other purpose.
Gifts or acts of courtesy and hospitality are permitted insofar as they are of modest value and in line with normal commercial and courtesy practices and, by their nature and value, are such as not to compromise the integrity, image, independence and reputation of either party, and such as not to be interpreted as aimed at obtaining preferential treatment that is not determined by market rules.
It is strictly forbidden to accept or give money or gifts equivalent to money (e.g. vouchers for goods).
Any irregularities must be reported immediately to the Board of Directors.

Conflict of interest

The Association seeks to establish a relationship of full trust with its Members, within which it is a primary duty to use one’s work skills to pursue the associative interest, in accordance with the principles laid down in the Code, which represent the values that inspire Women in Plastics Italy.
The Board of Directors and Members must avoid any situation and refrain from any activity that may set a personal interest against those of the Association, or that may interfere with and hinder the ability to take impartial and objective decisions in the interest of Women in Plastics Italy, or that is in conflict with the proper performance of their duties or may harm the interests and image of the Association.
The occurrence of situations of conflict of interest, in addition to being contrary to the law and to the principles laid down in the Code, is prejudicial to the image and integrity of Women in Plastics Italy.
It is the task of the Board of Directors to assess the actual and concrete existence of situations of conflict of interest in order to avoid anyone, among the Members or collaborators of Women in Plastics Italy, being able to obtain an advantage from such situations or causing, even indirectly, damage to the seriousness, independence and transparency of the Association and of the activities carried out by it. A Member who becomes aware of a potential conflict of interest is required to promptly inform the Board, which will carry out the appropriate checks.
A conflict of interest arises when a Member of Women in Plastics Italy finds herself in a concrete and specific conflict situation such as to prejudice her autonomy of judgement in relation to a specific activity to be carried out in favour of the Association.
In order to avoid the emergence of potential conflicts and at the same time guarantee the transparency of the Association, Members of Women in Plastics Italy must always inform the Board of Directors of their participation in conferences, meetings or activities in general, where such participation is in their capacity as a Member of Women in Plastics Italy, and obtain the prior authorisation of the Board.
In the event of a proven violation of the Code, it is the Board of Directors that decides on the matter.
If the violation involves several members of the Board of Directors, it is the Assembly of Members that decides.
If no action is taken following a report or, even if action is taken, no sanction is imposed, the body to which the report has been submitted must provide adequate justification.

Relations with external parties

Relations (and the related management of financial resources) concerning the Association’s activities and maintained with public officials or persons charged with a public service (acting on behalf of the central or local Public Administration, legislative bodies, Community institutions, national public organisations or those of any foreign State), with the judiciary, with public supervisory authorities and with other independent Authorities must be initiated and managed in full and strict compliance with the Laws and Regulations in force and with the principles laid down in the Code, so as not to compromise the integrity and reputation of either party.
The Association does not in any way contribute, in any form, to the financing of political parties, movements, committees and political and trade union organisations, or their representatives and candidates.

Sustainability

Environmental policy

Within the framework of its policies, the Association sets out its commitment to environmental protection and the sustainable use of resources through the pursuit of continuous improvement and, where possible, the use of the best available technologies.
At the same time, each Member of the Association undertakes to combat the totally disparaging image attributed to plastics in favour of supporting and promoting plastics as a beneficial and irreplaceable material in many contexts and sectors.
The Association undertakes to manage its activities in full compliance with the legislation in force on prevention and protection.
The Association and its Members also undertake to give preference to interlocutors who provide disclosure on the sustainability commitments they have adopted, with particular reference to the social and environmental dimension.

Information

Management of information

All those who, in any capacity, act on behalf of the Association are required to maintain the utmost confidentiality regarding information acquired in the performance of their duties, in accordance with the Laws, Regulations and circumstances; they must not unduly disclose, communicate or request information concerning documents, know-how, projects, transactions and, in general, all information acquired by virtue of their role.
In particular, confidential or secret information includes all information of any kind acquired in the course of or in connection with associative activities, the dissemination or use of which may cause harm or damage to Women in Plastics Italy and/or undue gain for the Member. Breach of confidentiality obligations by Members seriously undermines the relationship of trust and may result in the application of sanctions.
The duty of confidentiality continues even after leaving the Association, for as long as the use or disclosure of information or news may prejudice the interests of the Association, and the Member must ensure compliance with the obligations laid down in the legislation in force on privacy.

Associative information

Within the limits laid down by current legislation, the Association promptly and fully provides the information, clarifications, data and documentation requested by Members, funders, suppliers, public authorities and Stakeholders.
Exhaustive and clear associative communication is a guarantee of the correctness of relations:
• with Members, who must be able to easily access information data, in accordance with current legislation;
• with third parties in general who come into contact with the Association, who must be able to have a clear picture of Women in Plastics Italy.

Control system and sanctions

Control

In compliance with current legislation and with a view to planning and managing associative activities based on efficiency, fairness, transparency and quality, Women in Plastics Italy implements management and control measures which lead to the adoption of measures suitable to ensure compliance with the Laws and the principles of the Code, prevent unlaw