Building Trust Through Integrity
This Code of Business Conduct (“Code”) defines what we stand for and how we conduct our business. We expect all associates and Alcon’s Board of Directors to follow the Code.
Building a strong company culture that promotes trust is a shared responsibility. Our reputation for acting ethically and responsibly is based on the decisions each of us make, every day.
We build trust by...
We Build Trust by Acting with Integrity
We must work together to earn and maintain the trust of our stakeholders: patients and consumers, healthcare professionals who use our products and services, other business partners, our investors, regulatory agencies, and our Alcon colleagues.
Why is this important? Because people do business with companies, and individuals, they can count on and trust. We are committed to being that kind of company. The individual and collective decisions we make can earn or break the trust of our stakeholders.
Trust matters and it begins with you.
We create potential risks when we break trust, including:
- Harm to people
- Reputational or financial harm to Alcon
- Adverse legal consequences, including fines and penalties, and
- Inability to recruit and retain talented employees.
We must avoid these risks so we can focus all our resources on accomplishing our mission of helping people see brilliantly. How do we do this? By remaining committed to acting with integrity in the workplace, in the marketplace, and in society. This includes complying with the laws of all countries in which we operate.
- Demonstrate integrity and respect for others, consistently following our Values and Behaviors
- Be accountable for meeting the expectations of this Code
- Follow all applicable laws and industry codes
- Follow Alcon policies and procedures that apply to your work, including any stricter local requirements
- Ask questions when you need help
- Speak up to report known or suspected violations of this Code, and
- Support our company’s commitment to being an ethical global citizen.
- Inspiring and supporting their associates
- Modeling and promoting ethical decision-making
- Supporting company values and policies
- Being open and approachable so that associates feel comfortable speaking up
- Listening up and following up, handling questions and concerns with impartiality and sensitivity
- Seeking help to resolve issues when they arise, including escalating them when appropriate, and
- Taking appropriate steps to prevent retaliation in their areas of responsibility.
As you conduct Alcon business, use this Code as your ethical compass. Our stakeholders, including the patients and consumers who ultimately benefit from our products, are counting on each one of us.
What you do, and how you do it, makes a difference.
Our Culture of Integrity
It all begins with our culture. Our values and behaviors unite us globally in a shared commitment to an integrity-based culture. They serve as our ethical foundation to engage in business interactions that build trust. The six fundamental company values to which we expect you to align your actions are displayed in the accompanying graphic.
What we do is critical to help people see brilliantly; how we do it helps us earn trust with our customers, investors, co-workers, and other company stakeholders.
We Build Trust by Speaking Up
Speak up to ask questions
We want you to speak up and to get help when you need it. Ask questions when something is not clear, whether it is a job expectation, an assignment, or how to apply this Code or a policy. Sometimes the best you can do is identify a question and request assistance. It is okay not to have all the answers; it is your responsibility to ask questions and seek help. You are not alone; there are resources to support you.
- Is the action consistent with the letter and spirit of the law, industry codes, and this Code?
- Would this action help Alcon maintain the trust of its stakeholders?
- Could the action cause any harm?
- Could the action somehow embarrass Alcon or damage Alcon’s reputation or credibility?
- Could the action reflect poorly on you and your personal integrity?
Speak up to raise concerns
If something does not seem right or you have a concern, the company wants to know about it right away. That way, if there is a problem, the company can address the situation quickly and appropriately to prevent harm or keep the issue from getting worse. Trust your instincts. We expect you to speak up promptly when you have a question or a concern, especially when you are aware of or suspect something that could be a violation of the law, this Code, or company policies.
To be successful in fulfilling our mission, we must earn and maintain the trust of all company stakeholders. To accomplish this, we expect you to speak up.
When you raise concerns, or are asked for information by the company, we expect you to demonstrate integrity by:
- Providing truthful information in good faith, even if you do not have all the details
- Maintaining confidentiality, and
- Cooperating fully, including providing information during any investigation.
Speaking up in good faith does not mean you have to be right, but you must believe the information you provide is truthful.
When you raise any concern about unethical or inappropriate behavior, you can expect a process that respects and protects all people involved, including:
- An opportunity to report in a confidential manner and, if permitted, anonymously
- An opportunity to be heard and taken seriously
- A thorough review and/or investigation of the concern, and
- Opportunities for follow-up.
We do not tolerate retaliation in any form against anyone who speaks up in good faith, participates in an investigation, or files a complaint or report. All Alcon managers are responsible for taking appropriate steps to prevent retaliation in their areas of responsibility. Any retaliation, whether direct or indirect, against those who speak up is grounds for discipline.
When you have questions or concerns, we encourage you to speak to your manager, to the extent you are comfortable. You are also welcome to reach out to one of the following resources:
- Any other member of management
- A member of the Human Resources department
- An Integrity & Compliance representative
- A member of the Alcon Legal department, or
- The Ethics Helpline (telephone or web-based)
When you speak up, you are demonstrating our value of courage and you are helping Alcon operate its business with integrity.
The Alcon Helpline is an independently managed, secure, and confidential online and telephone service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in multiple languages. Concerns may be reported anonymously through the Helpline, where allowed under local law.
Integrity In Action
No matter how you report your concern, retaliation is unacceptable. If you believe you have been retaliated against for reporting a concern, or have been threatened with retaliation, contact a member of the Human Resources or Integrity and Compliance department.
To contact the Alcon Ethics Helpline, go to Alcon.Ethicspoint.com or use this QR Code:
