What We Value | People Policies

Human rights policy

This statement reaffirms our commitment to uphold human rights as outlined in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights; the ICCPR and ICESCR; the ILO Core Conventions and Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work; the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs); the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (2023); the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) Base Code; the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights; and applicable European and national labour law (Estonian Employment Contracts Act; Ukrainian Labour Code).

Purpose:

This document outlines our commitment as a group of Ethicontrol companies to uphold and respect human rights in all aspects of our operations. We recognize the importance of these rights and are dedicated to conducting our business responsibly and ethically.

This statement reaffirms our commitment to uphold human rights as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Covenants on Human Rights, the Core Labor Standards of the International Labor Organization, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights.

Scope:

This policy applies to all areas of our business, including interactions with employees, contractors, partners, customers, and suppliers.

Core Principles

1. Respect for International Human Rights Standards: We are committed to supporting and upholding the principles outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other relevant international human rights standards.
2. Non-Discrimination: We prohibit discrimination in all employment decisions based on race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, disability, age, marital or family status, refugee or displaced status, socio-economic background, or any other protected characteristic. Reasonable adjustments are made for employees with disabilities.
3. Protection of Specific Groups:
  - Women: Adherence to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.
  - Children: Commitment to the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
  - Migrant Workers: Alignment with the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.
  - Indigenous Peoples: Upholding the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
  - People of African Descent: Commitment to the UN Declaration on the human rights of people of African descent.
  - Minorities: Protection for persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious, and linguistic minorities, including Roma, Sinti, and travelers.
  - Refugees and Displaced Persons: Support for refugees, asylum-seekers, and internally displaced people.
  - Persons in Extreme Poverty: Adherence to the UN Guiding Principles on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights.
4. Prohibition of Child Labor and Forced Labor: Strict prohibition of child labor, forced labor, modern slavery, and human trafficking.
5. Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining: Respecting the right to collective bargaining and freedom of association.
6. Fair Compensation: Ensuring an appropriate living wage for all employees.
7. Environmental Responsibility: We prohibit harmful environmental practices, comply with applicable environmental law, adhere to green office rules across all operations, prefer recyclable materials in procurement, and target net zero carbon emissions by 2030. See Environmental Commitments below.
8. Right to Privacy: We prioritize the protection of personal data and the privacy of our clients and employees, in alignment with global data protection laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
9. Freedom of Expression and Information: We support the freedom of expression and the right to information while ensuring responsible platform use.
10. Specific Workplace Commitments. Ethicontrol makes the following specific commitments:
  1. Veteran-inclusive hiring: We apply a positive recruitment preference for veterans, supporting their reintegration into the civilian workforce — particularly meaningful in our Ukrainian context.
  2. English as a common language: English is the mandatory working language for all employees, enabling inclusive collaboration across our multinational team.
  3. Gender balance: We actively maintain gender balance across the team and in recruitment.
  4. Conflict sensitivity: We do not procure from, partner with, or operate with parties that support wars of aggression or conduct operations with or within Russia.
11. Anti-Harassment and Anti-Bullying. Ethicontrol maintains a zero-tolerance position on all forms of harassment and bullying — verbal, written, physical, and digital — in all working environments including remote. Confirmed breaches result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.
12. Fair Compensation. All employees are paid at or above the applicable legal minimum or living wage. Pay is equal for equivalent roles regardless of sex, ethnicity, or other protected characteristics, consistent with ILO Convention No. 100.
13. Working Hours and Right to Disconnect. Standard working hours do not exceed 40 hours per week. Overtime is voluntary. Employees are not expected to respond to non-urgent communications outside contracted hours.

Workplace Rights

Safe and Healthy Working Environment. We provide OHS adapted to our profile — office ergonomics, remote-work safety, psychosocial and workload risks, business travel, and — given our Ukrainian operations — conflict-context personal safety. Health and safety indicators are tracked and reviewed regularly.
Fair Labour Practices. We adhere to fair labour standards: lawful and timely pay at or above the living wage; voluntary and compensated overtime; statutory rest, leave, and parental entitlements; and the right to disconnect.
Freedom of Association. Employees may freely join or form trade unions or representative bodies. No employee is penalised for union membership or representative activity, consistent with ILO Conventions 87 and 98.
Employee Voice. All employees have direct access to management to raise concerns, make suggestions, and participate in decisions affecting their work.

Ethical Business Conduct

Integrity and Anti-Bribery. Zero tolerance for bribery, corruption, fraud, kickbacks, and improper influence in any form. See our Integrity Policy.
Conflict of Interest. Employees must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest. Disclosures are assessed and managed by the CEO or Board. A confidential register is maintained.
Whistleblowing / Speak-Up. Ethicontrol operates a monitored, confidential whistleblowing system. Reports are triaged, investigated, and tracked through closure. Retaliation against good-faith reporters is a serious disciplinary offence, consistent with the EU Whistleblowing Directive (2019/1937).
Ethical Sales and Marketing. All marketing claims are accurate and substantiated. Pricing is transparent. Sales are won on merit — no bribery, kickbacks, or improper inducements. See our Terms of Business.
Responsible Sourcing. We conduct risk-based supplier due diligence. EcoVadis is our preferred third-party sustainability scorecard for strategic, data-sensitive, or high-risk suppliers. We do not cooperate with suppliers that support wars of aggression or conduct operations with or within Russia.
Data Privacy and Security. Employee and client personal data — including whistleblower/reporter data — is protected in full compliance with GDPR and applicable law, under a formal Information Security Program aligned with ISO/IEC 27001:2022. See our Privacy Policy.
Responsible Sourcing: We are committed to ethical sourcing and responsible supply chain management. Please refer to our EPP Policy.
Sustainability: Environmental sustainability is a key consideration in our operations and product development.

Environmental Commitments

Net Zero by 2030. Our goal is to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030, prioritising absolute Scope 2 and Scope 3 reductions. Progress is tracked and reported in our sustainability disclosure.
Green Office. We adhere to formal green office rules: paperless workflows, energy efficiency, reduced printing, responsible resource use, and remote meetings over travel.
Low-Carbon Mobility. We prefer electric mobility and avoid air travel in favour of lower-carbon transport.
Recyclable Procurement. Wherever possible, we procure recyclable goods and materials and prefer local, sustainability-aligned vendors in each market.
GHG Reporting. We measure and report Scope 1, 2, and relevant Scope 3 GHG emissions using the GHG Protocol. Our emissions reduction improvement plan covers cloud/hosting efficiency, reduced travel, green-office practices, device lifecycle extension, and responsible procurement.
Waste Reduction. We monitor and actively reduce waste across paper, packaging, office, and electronic streams.

Community and Integrity Impact

Ethicontrol invests in the communities where it operates and in the wider integrity and compliance ecosystem.

We share knowledge on ethics, anti-corruption, and whistleblowing through research, education, and professional engagement.
We support NGOs, public-interest bodies, and professional associations through access to our tools, including discounted and pro-bono arrangements.
We support collective actions and coalitions focused on integrity, transparency, and compliance.
We sustain Ukrainian employment and contribute to economic resilience through conflict conditions.

Integrity Impact Fund. We created the Integrity Impact Fund — a granting initiative that provides our platform to NGOs, schools, and universities at up to 90% discount, with 25% of our profits committed to the Fund. Beneficiaries commit to measurable integrity standards aligned with ISO 37002 and ISO 37301. Eligible organisations are invited to apply at social[at]ethicontrol.com.

Implementation and Compliance

Training. All employees receive regular training on human rights, anti-harassment, business conduct, anti-bribery, data protection, OHS, whistleblowing, and environmental practices — at onboarding and periodically refreshed.
Human Rights Due Diligence. We conduct proportionate HRDD aligned with the UN Guiding Principles (Protect–Respect–Remedy), covering our own operations, supply chain, and Ukrainian conflict context. Implementation is reported via the channel below.
Monitoring and Indicators. We track people, OHS, environmental, grievance, and governance indicators, reviewed at least annually by the CEO with Board oversight.
Governance. This Policy is owned by the CEO and approved annually by the Board of Directors (CEO + CTO). It is registered as ESG.PL-001 in Ethicontrol's Information Security and Compliance document register.
Review. This policy is reviewed at least annually and updated to reflect changes in law, operations, or best practice. Version 3.1 is effective as of May 2026.

Review and Update

This policy will be regularly reviewed and updated to reflect emerging human rights issues and best practices in the industry.

What we value - ESG & People Policies