Vendor Code of Conduct

Vendors must abide by all local, state, federal, international, and/or other applicable laws as well as Welch regulations. If Welch establishes requirements that are more stringent than what the relevant laws and regulations require of its vendors, such standards shall take precedence.

Vendors will not engage in human trafficking or utilize any type of forced or coerced labor, including prison, bonded, indentured.  Work must always be voluntary, and employees must be free to quit their jobs or give adequate notice before doing so. No worker shall be required as a condition of employment to surrender any passport, government-issued identification, or work permit.

Vendors will not use child labor. The term "child" refers to people under the age of 16, or the minimum employment age in the area or the age at which compulsory education is completed, whichever is greater.

Workers must be paid at least the minimum wage and benefits mandated by the relevant laws and regulations by vendors. Workers must receive overtime pay at the premium rate mandated by the relevant laws and regulations.

Vendors must use hiring procedures that accurately confirm applicants' eligibility to work legally in the country in question and their age.

Vendors are required to respect each employee's right to join or refrain from joining groups of their choosing, so long as those associations are legal. The unlawful interference, obstruction, or prevention of genuine, legal employee associations and related activities by vendors is not acceptable.

Giving or receiving gifts or entertainment with even a minimal financial value from or to any of Welch's vendors is prohibited. This applies to all Welch employees, agents, contractors, and each individual within their immediate families. The following presents and entertainment are never acceptable, regardless of price: Any gifts or entertainment (including meals, accommodation, and travel) given in connection with an inspection, audit, throughout a procurement process involving the vendor, or to a Welch agent or consultant operating on behalf of Welch are prohibited. Neither are presents that are or may be illegal, such as cash or its equivalents (such as gift cards). This guideline applies throughout the traditional holiday gift-giving seasons.

Vendors are forbidden from participating in any action with a Welch employee that might give rise to an actual or apparent conflict of interest.

When interacting with public officials or people in the private sector, vendors must not tolerate, permit, or engage in any unethical behavior. Vendors are required to conduct business in accordance with all existing laws and to refrain from any actions that might be viewed as corrupt or unethical. Vendors are required to preserve all records of things pertaining to their business with Welch with integrity, transparency, and correctness. Vendors are prohibited from giving or receiving money or other valuables to or from public or private authorities in order to win or keep business for Welch. This prohibition applies to both public and private officials.

Vendors are required to provide a secure working environment for all employees as well as the necessary personal protective equipment, training, and information about workplace health and safety.

Vendors are required to abide by all local, state, and federal environmental laws regarding water consumption, wastewater discharges, hazardous and toxic compounds, waste processing and disposal, and air emissions. Additionally, vendors are required to confirm and maintain documentation demonstrating that all international agreements, as well as national and local laws, were followed during the source material collection process.

Vendors are not allowed to hire any Subcontractors without first conducting a comprehensive investigation into their character, reputation, and integrity. Additionally,  vendors may not hire any Subcontractors to help them provide services or items to Welch unless those Subcontractors agree to adhere by this Code of Conduct. Vendors are still in charge of making sure that their Subcontractors follow this Code of Conduct.

All vendors and their representatives are expected to keep the information entrusted to them by Welch or its clients secret. vendors are required to uphold the secrecy of trade secrets and other Welch proprietary information, including any information that is sensitive or difficult to ascertain, and to respect and preserve Welch's intellectual property rights. The vendor must not make use of stolen or improperly used technology.

Welch shall take proactive efforts, such as announced and unannounced inspections of production facilities, to guarantee compliance with this Code of Conduct, either on its own or with the help of a third party. All records demonstrating compliance with this Code of Conduct must be kept by vendors and made available to Welch upon request.