Since its inception, Huayou Cobalt has always upheld the highest standards of business ethics, and takes "integrity" as one of the core values of the enterprise. The company, in the course of operation, abides by the law, and publicly pledges to oppose any form of corruption, embezzlement of public funds or extortion; avoids all forms of conflicts of interest; respects intellectual property rights and protect customer information; abides by the law of the market, and resists false advertisement and unfair competition; and discloses information in accordance with the requirements of information disclosure of listed companies; the company establishes effective channels of communication to facilitate complaints and prosecutions and provide identity protection for complainants and prosecutors, and prohibits any form of retaliation; and respects the privacy of all people who do business with the company. The company has also formulated the Code of Business Ethics and Conduct, and ensures that all employees can scrupulously abide by the highest requirements of business ethics, abide by applicable laws and regulations at home and abroad, realizing self-restraint and public service, thus contributing to the centennial Huayou's everlasting inheritance.
Anti-corruption
A. Institutional culture construction
The company attaches great importance to anti-corruption and anti-commercial bribery, and, formulates Code of Business Ethics and Conduct, Administrative Measures for Business Reception and Gift Reimbursement, Gift Management Methods, Management Method For Employee Receiving Gift Money and Gifts, Reporting Management System and Regulations on Prohibition of Business Cooperation with Units with Relatives, Friends or Business Interests Related to Company Cadres in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations of the country or region in which the operation is conducted and relevant international conventions and in accordance with characteristics of its own business. The company also guide the performance of employees by opening their performance through the OA platform, requires employees to establish the awareness of honesty and discipline, implements it in all links of work, and strengthens the construction of compliance culture and business ethics.
B. Establishment of a supervision department
Huayou sets up Audit and Supervision Department and makes it as the first-level department of the group headquarters. The department directly reports to Group President, and is responsible for the overall management of the internal audit of the Group, performs audit functions of Group subsidiaries, thus doing well in project construction, financial activities and economical responsibilities through process supervision and project recall. The Department also seeks truth from facts, and builds independent and objective image in the global subsidiaries to implement anti-corruption, anti-commercial bribery practices. It severely punishes performance violations of discipline, which not only purifies the ranks of business managers, but also timely finds management loopholes, effectively maintaining the survival and development of enterprises.
C. Preventing conflicts of interest
At present, the international community generally believes that conflict of interest is an important source of corruption, and management and prevention of conflict of interest are the key strategy to effectively prevent corruption. Therefore, Huayou requests the Audit and Supervision Department to conduct commercial bribery investigations on business partners in accordance with the Regulations on Prohibition of Business Cooperation with Units with Relatives, Friends or Business Interests Related to Company Cadres in March and September of each year. As per the requirement, all suppliers shall sign a Letter of Undertaking for No Relatives, Friends or Business Interests in order to make clear relevant requirements such as anti-commercial bribery. During the two audits in 2018, no direct or indirect participation of the company's cadres in relevant suppliers was found, and no unqualified suppliers were found; Of the 15 suppliers selected in September, 3 of them didn't sign the Letter of Undertaking for No Relatives, Friends or Business Interests and had been requested for replacement.
D. Provide access to information
Huayou has established and improved a reporting system, widening complaint channels, encouraging informed reporting of irregularities, mobilizing and giving full play to the positive role of employees and stakeholders in reporting corruption and commercial bribery, and formally promulgating the Reporting Management System to all employees through the OA platform on November 16, 2018, and providing reporting phones and e-mail addresses to all stakeholders through the official website. Audit and Supervision Department is responsible for receiving, investigating, approving and directing reports by the Group President. Reporting Management System clearly stipulates that all whistle-blowing information is strictly confidential; anonymous reporting is allowed. Information leaks, investigation obstructing and retaliation are strictly prohibited. For reporting information, the whistle-blower will be rewarded according to the value of the infringement, and the information of the whistle-blower will be kept secret. In 2018, a total of six incidents were reported, one of which was a corruption matter, and one of the person involved in the case was eventually dissuaded.
Ways of reporting:
①Reporting letter, mailing address: Audit and Supervision Department (Principal), Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Co., Ltd., No.18 Wuzhendong Road, Tongxiang City, Zhejiang Province; 举报信，通信地址：浙江省桐乡市梧振东路18号浙江华友钴业股份有限公司审计监察部（负责人）；
②Reporting Tel.: 0573-88589103;
③E-mail:report@huayou.com;
④Reporting box: Unpacking once a week (except holidays), the unpacking time is 9:30-10:30 every Monday morning.
Reporting management process:
The undertaker of the Audit and Supervision Department shall record the reporting items according to the reporting information, register the Report Registration Form of Petition Letter, submit it to the person in charge of the Audit and Supervision Department for re-examination and signature, and appoint a special person to be responsible for the investigation after reporting to the president or chairman of the board of directors for approval;
The undertaker or investigation team must conduct the investigation confidentially and hear the arguments of the person to be reported, and may request the relevant department to assist in obtaining sufficient investigation evidence to form a trial report (including handling opinions);
Opinions on the handling of the reported matters shall be given within 60 days and shall be reported to the President for approval; opinions on the handling of the reported matters entrusted by the company for investigation shall be given within 30 days and shall be reported to the President for approval;
The Audit and Supervision Department shall handle matters according to relevant provisions according to the examination and approval results;
The undertaker or the investigation team shall notify the whistle-blower in writing of the result of the handling within 5 working days after the handling of the reporting is completed;
The undertaker shall file all the report materials after the processing is completed.
The Audit and Supervision Department shall maintain the same working hours as other administrative departments from 8:00 to 11:15, 13: 30-17:00, Monday to Friday, 6.75 hours a day; 8:00-11:15, 13:30-16:30 on Saturdays, 6.25 hours, guaranteed 40 hours a week.
Patent maintenance
In 2018, the company applied for 28 patents and newly authorized 15 patents (4 of which were invention patents and 11 utility model patents), bringing the total number of valid patents to 78 (46 of which were invention patents and 32 utility model patents).
In 2018, Huayou New Energy Technology (Quzhou) Co., Ltd. passed the certification of intellectual property management system.
