Building Trust in Society
Our commitment to building trust through integrity includes being an ethical global citizen. We are committed to engaging with society and the communities we serve in a way that meets societal expectations and serves the greater good.
We build trust by...
We Build Trust by Being an Ethical Global Citizen
We serve the greater good, and make a difference in our communities in the following ways:
We are proud of our longstanding tradition of helping to meet unmet medical and community needs. Through foundations and other channels, we contribute money and Alcon products to legitimate organizations for charitable purposes aligned with our giving strategy, and support legitimate community activities where we have a business presence. We also provide disaster and humanitarian relief as needed to address emergency needs, and organize opportunities for employees to volunteer their time to help community organizations. Acknowledging our social responsibility through thoughtful giving and active community engagement reflects our unwavering commitment to support people and communities.
At Alcon, we strive to minimize the environmental impact of our business activities by adopting responsible policies, procedures, and practices that promote efficient use of resources and protect the environment. We install, maintain, and monitor environmental controls to keep our facility emissions within legal limits. We also continually assess the environmental risks and impact of our existing as well as new business activities, such as designing a new product, engaging in a new market, remodeling facilities, building a new process, or acquiring a business. We also promote environmentally sustainable practices during new building construction and facility modifications.
Throughout the product life cycle, from product conception and design, through production and distribution, we are committed to:
- Conserving natural resources
- Reducing, reusing, and recycling waste and materials
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other emissions that impact the environment
- Sourcing environmentally friendly material
- Reducing product packaging and post-consumer waste, and
- Complying with all applicable legal requirements that relate to the environment.
As indicated in the Alcon Third Party Code of Conduct, we expect our suppliers to have this same commitment to compliance and environmental sustainability.
We believe that all people should be treated with dignity and respect, and therefore, we recognize the importance of maintaining and promoting fundamental human rights. We are committed to respecting worker rights, complying with employment and human rights laws, and preventing any child labor, modern slavery, or human trafficking from occurring in any part of our business operations or supply chain. We respect the rights of employees to associate freely and respect their right to choose collective bargaining.
We believe that being an ethical global citizen includes being involved in the political process. We participate in the political process only through appropriately trained associates who follow designated company processes. Political contributions are tightly controlled by law and are prohibited by some governments. You must not offer, provide, authorize, or arrange for the use of any Alcon funds, property, or associate services to support any candidate for political office, or any political party, official, or committee unless permitted under applicable law and with advanced, written authorization from a company lawyer.
We encourage you to participate fully as private citizens in the legitimate political process of your respective countries, states, or other political units. Any individual support you provide for political parties, candidates, events, or causes should be purely voluntary. You may not conduct political activity on company time or property, and you must use your own resources to support the activity. While Alcon encourages you to communicate with your government representatives in your capacity as an individual, you should not engage in these communications on behalf of Alcon unless doing so is part of your Alcon designated job responsibilities.
Each year, thousands of dedicated Alcon associates volunteer their time and talents to help our neighbors and strengthen the communities in which we live and work.
Integrity In Action
No, you must not use company funds, facilities, or other resources to provide any personal support for a political party or candidate. If the company wants to arrange an event for business purposes, this may be done only if it is permitted under local law and is authorized in advance and in writing by a company lawyer.
We Build Trust by Administering Our Code Responsibly
We are committed to operating our business with integrity and our Code is an integral part of helping our associates fulfill this expectation. Our Code is the foundation of Alcon’s global integrity and compliance program. It is not a contract and does not convey any specific employment rights or guarantee employment for any specific time. For the most current version of the Code, see the Integrity & Compliance internal website or Alcon.com.
Related policies
The Code is supported by more specific global, regional, and local company policies and procedures that help the company comply with relevant legal requirements and societal expectations for conducting business ethically. Stricter local requirements, whether based on local law, industry code, or local company requirements, take precedence over what is required under this Code and company policies. In addition, anything stated in this Code and company policies that is stricter than local requirements takes precedence over the local requirements.
Corrective actions and discipline
We are proud of what we do and the expectations we set for ourselves in this Code and related policies. We take violations of these expectations very seriously.
- Violating this Code, a company policy or procedure, or the law
- Failing to report a known or suspected incident
- Knowingly making a false report
- Refusing to cooperate with an investigation, or
- A manager’s intentional disregard of a possible issue, or failure to act appropriately to address a violation or concern.
In addition, in the case of a violation of law, a government agency or a court may impose civil and/or criminal penalties on Alcon and/or on individuals.
Acknowledgment required
You are expected to complete training on the Code periodically. At the end of the training, you will be asked to attest that you have completed the training, read, understand, and will follow the Code expectations, and will build trust by acting with integrity and personal accountability. You will also be asked, from time to time, to certify you have reported to Alcon any actual or potential conflicts of interest that exist between your personal interests and the interests of Alcon.
Remember, trust matters ... and it begins with you!
Integrity In Action
Yes, these requirements apply equally to all Alcon associates.