2012 Annual Report - Italcementi Group

GROUP CODE OF ETHICS
The Company adopted a Code of Ethics for the first time in 1993. The Code defined the principles of honesty,
correctness, integrity, transparency, confidentiality and mutual respect, which should inspire all employees and
all those who established relations with the Company or worked with it to achieve its objectives.
Such Code, pursuing the same purposes, was subsequently amended in February 2001 and lastly replaced by
the Group Code of Ethics of September 26, 2012, prepared in accordance with the so-called “Framework of
Corporate Governance”. This Framework is intended to be disseminated to all Italian and foreign subsidiaries,
so that the principles contained in the Code of Ethics may be applied and complied with everywhere.
The Board of Directors of Ciments Français, which Italcementi controls the Group’s foreign activities through,
has already resolved to share and comply with the principles of the Group Code of Ethics, the disclosure of
which to all foreign branches is now underway.
The Code of Ethics is in line with the industry’s best practices and incorporates the principles of ethics and
conduct underlying the Group’s governance model, highlighting elements that strengthen the culture and style
of the same, as well as harmonizing and enhancing the elements that the Italcementi Group has developed in
the field of ethics over time.
The Code of Ethics is divided into three chapters:
- “Vision, Mission and Values” are the elements that identify the ethical identity of the Group, to be understood
as long-term aspirations, i.e. to be players in the creation of a better sustainable future for all stakeholders
(Vision), the activity on which the core business is concentrated, namely the creation of value in the field of
construction materials through the innovative and sustainable use of natural resources for the benefit of
customers and communities (Mission) and the general rules that the group has given itself (Values)
wherefrom the more specific rules of behavior described in the next section arise;
- “Rules of Conduct”: divided by stakeholder of reference, they identify the behaviors that the Group
encourages and those that it penalizes, in addition to confirming compliance with the rules; among these
there are the rules of honesty and loyalty, impartiality, protection of privacy and confidentiality of information,
protection of people, the environment and company assets, the prohibition of corruption, abuse of office and
unfair business practices; it provides for the rules that underpin the control and financial reporting processes,
it introduces rules governing relations with customers, suppliers, public institutions, political organizations,
trade unions and the media;
- “Implementation of the Code”: this explains who is responsible for the Code and how its contents should be
applied, for example in case of breach thereof.
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
Since February 2001, the Company’s Board of Directors has approved a specific procedure for the
management and processing of confidential information, which also contains the procedures for the disclosure
of documents and information concerning the Company and the Group, with particular reference to price
sensitive information. This procedure requires strict compliance with the terms and conditions of disclosure of
documents and information, while ensuring that disclosure to the market of corporate data is correct, complete,
adequate, timely and objective.
The rules of procedure referred to herein bind all Company employees, the members of the Board of Directors
and of the Board of Statutory Auditors, and all those who maintain an advisory relationship or collaboration with
the Company and/or the Group.
Moreover, since 2006, the Company, as required by CONSOB has established and regularly updated a
register of persons who, by virtue of their work or professional duties or by virtue of the functions performed,
have access to sensitive information and has prepared the implementation procedure related thereto.
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