Code of Conduct
CONDUCT WITH OUR TEAMS
AVANOS BELIEVES THAT OUR SUCCESS DEPENDS ON TRUST AND RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER. TEAMWORK IS A VALUE THAT GUIDES US IN ALL WE DO.
FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION
We are committed to respecting our employees’ right to freedom of association, including:
- The right to organize in accordance with national laws and practices.
- The right to collective bargaining through representatives of their own choosing.
- The right of their chosen representatives to have reasonable access to our employees in order to represent them.
- The right to engage in other protected activities
- The right to refrain from such activities.
- We expect that our suppliers and business partners adhere to the same principles. See our Supplier Social Compliance Standards (PDF) for more information.
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AND NON-DISCRIMINATION
We are committed to having a globally diverse workforce through equal employment opportunity. We will:
- Recruit, promote and support the professional development of a globally diverse workforce.
- Hire, train, promote, and compensate based on the ability, achievement, experience, and conduct of the employee without regard to race, ethnicity,color, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed, national origin, gender identity, disability, legally protected leave or veteran status or other categories protected by applicable law.
- Recognize and utilize the diversity of each other’s talents, abilities, and experiences.
- Be open to all perspectives and help others feel comfortable expressing those perspectives.
GLOBAL HUMAN RIGHTS
Avanos is committed to recognizing human rights on a global basis. We have established certain standards designed to protect human rights and also expect our suppliers and business partners to follow these standards:
- Allow freedom of association and collective bargaining.
- Protect against child labor.
- Protect against forced labor and abuse of labor.
- Prohibit discrimination.
- Comply with work hour, wage, and benefit laws.
- Provide a safe and healthy workplace.
- Protect the environment.
- Prohibit corruption and bribery.
See our Supplier Social Compliance Standards (PDF) for more information.
Q&A
Report It. All employees are entitled to a workplace where their co-workers and team leaders treat them with dignity and respect. You should report the matter to your Human Resource representative or by using the Compliance and Ethics Helpline, even though doing so may make you uncomfortable. See: Resources for Asking Questions or Reporting Concerns.
Report It. Avanos policy requires that employment decisions be made without regard to the gender of the candidate. If you feel you were treated unfairly, you should report your concern. See: Resources for Asking Questions or Reporting Concerns.
If you see or become aware of a supplier or vendor violating any of these human rights standards, report it.
WORKPLACE SAFETY
At Avanos, we believe that occupational injuries and illnesses are preventable and can be eliminated. No production goal, cost saving, time saving or competitive advantage is worth an injury of any kind.
We are committed to:
- Ensuring that safety is always our number one priority.
- Integrating our belief that all workplace injuries and illnesses are preventable into our research and engineering, product development, manufacturing, delivery, and sales activities.
- Providing a workplace that meets or exceeds applicable occupational safety and hygiene laws and regulations.
- Establishing occupational safety and hygiene standards and technical guidance based on best practices.
- Striving to continually improve our occupational safety and hygiene performance.
- Expecting all Avanos personnel to contribute to safety improvements.
Q&A
Report it. Never compromise safety. No production goal, cost saving, time saving, or competitive advantage is worth an injury of any kind. Every employee has the right to refuse to do work reasonably perceived to be dangerous to personal health or safety. See: Resources for Asking Questions or Reporting Concerns.
Remember these three safety obligations in your daily activities:
“Look after yourself” – I will refuse to take any action I consider unsafe or to perform any task I am not properly trained to do or do not have the proper tools to do.
“Look after your coworkers” – I will immediately confront anyone performing or about to perform an act or task I consider to be unsafe and I will prevent anyone from performing a task which they are not properly trained to do.
“Listen to your coworkers” – I will immediately stop what I am doing if someone confronts me about a task I am doing. I will resolve the concern with respect and goodwill, requesting assistance from another if necessary, before continuing.
RESPECTFUL WORKPLACE
We are committed to providing our employees with a work environment free from harassment, intimidation and other inappropriate behavior.
Examples of harassment can include:
- Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
- Offensive talk, jokes, pictures, and comments that involve race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, creed, national origin, disability, veteran status or other protected categories.
Examples of inappropriate behavior can include:
- Shouting or screaming in anger.
- Calling names.
- Profanity directed at another person.
- Threats and intimidation.
- Public teasing/ridicule.
- Intentionally excluding a person from a group.
See our Human Rights in Employment Policy (PDF) for more information
Q&A
No. If you tolerate your team member’s inappropriate behavior, you are giving the message that it is acceptable. Your team should behave the same way at a business dinner that they would behave in the office. You should counsel the team member on appropriate behavior.
Report the incident immediately. Avanos will not tolerate acts or threats of violence and will investigate all reports. You have a responsibility to act when you know of a threat or risk to any of our people. See: Resources for Asking Questions or Reporting Concerns.
WORKPLACE VIOLENCE
It is Avanos’s policy to conduct business, provide services and protect its employees and the public from harm by providing a safe, secure and healthy environment that has no tolerance for aggressive behavior, violence, threats (direct, indirect or veiled), harassment, intimidation and/or weapons. As such, it is important that protecting employees, customers, property, information and Avanos’s image is a shared goal for which all employees at Avanos are responsible.
Anyone who believes that he or she is a victim of threatening, harassing, violent or potentially violent conduct in the workplace, or who observes such behavior or believes a threat of such behavior exists (even if originally meant as a joke), should immediately report the conduct to their supervisor, Human Resources, Compliance, Legal and/or Global Security.
DRUGS AND ALCOHOL
We are committed to a drug-free workplace.
- Do not sell, use, or be under the influence of alcohol, non-prescribed drugs, narcotics, or any other “controlled substance” as defined by criminal statutes while at work, except for the serving of alcoholic beverages in connection with an authorized event.
- Participate in Avanos awareness programs to educate yourself about the hazards of substance abuse and addiction.
- Contact the local Avanos confidential Employee Assistance Program if drug or alcohol abuse may be affecting your job performance or the performance of others.
- All employees are subject to testing, if allowed by local law, if the employee appears to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol at work, or when the Company has reason to believe an employee has violated this policy. All applicants must pass a post-offer, pre-employment drug screening.
See Policy on Alcohol, Drugs, and Other Controlled Substances (PDF) for more information.
