The F&B
Human Resources
Guide

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Table of Contents

Code of Ethics

Code of Ethics

As Employees in the Food & Beverage business, we are in positions of trust. We are ambassadors of our companies to our guests, employees, suppliers, competitors, governments, investors and the public.

As ambassadors, we must act at all times in accordance with the values of:

• Respect

• Integrity

• Teamwork

• Empowerment

In the hospitality business, our Code of Ethics sets the minimum standards of conduct that we should adhere to.

If you have questions about the code of Ethics or the standards it describes, your manager will usually be the appropriate person to answer your questions. The Human Resources Department is also available to answer questions.

It is important that all suspected ethics violations be reported immediately to your manager so that potential issues can be investigated promptly.

Please read this Code of Ethics carefully and refer to it often as an ongoing reference.

Introduction

In the hospitality business, we will make every effort to turn every moment into memories for our guests. As we do this, we must be mindful of and guided by the following values:

• We value the needs, ideas and individuality of others. We treat all employees and guests with fairness and dignity.

• We act both honestly and professionally, guided by the highest standards of ethical conduct. We are accountable for all of our decisions and actions.

• We work together to achieve our common goals. We recognize the impact of each person's contribution and the importance of maintaining a cooperative and supportive work environment.

• We have the necessary tools, training and authority to exceed expectations. We trust and support each other in making good decisions.

1. General

This Code of Ethics is the commitment of our establishment to uphold the highest ethical standards and promote a culture of ethical business conduct.

The provisions of the code are mandatory and all directors, managers and employees of the company are expected to comply with the code under all circumstances.

1.1 To uphold the highest ethical standards and our company’s values, all employees are responsible for complying with the code. Employees who have questions concerning the code should address them with their manager, director, or HR department.

1.2 Employees who become aware of a violation or possible violation of the code must report that information immediately to their manager or the Human Resources Department.

It is a violation of this code for a manager or any colleague to discriminate or retaliate against a colleague for making such a report.

1.3 Failure to comply with the code can have severe consequences for both employees and the company. Management will impose appropriate discipline, up to and including termination, for violations of the code.

Conduct that violates the code may also violate laws, rules and regulations in the various jurisdictions in which the company conducts business and may subject both the company and the colleague to prosecution and/or legal sanctions.

2. Compliance with the Law and Prohibition of Fraud

Employees must comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations in the various jurisdictions in which the company conducts business.

2.1 the company’s activities are subject to complex and changing laws, rules and regulations in the various jurisdictions in which the company conducts business. Even if agreements or arrangements are not in writing, they must still comply with these laws, rules and regulations.

2.2 the company is a public company in [COUNTRY NAME] and, as a result, the company and each colleague (regardless of whether he or she is a citizen or resident of [COUNTRY NAME] is subject to, and must comply with [COUNTRY NAME] securities laws.

2.3 While engaged in the company’s business activities or while conducting personal activities which may impact (directly or indirectly) the company’s business, employees are strictly prohibited from engaging in fraud or illegal acts of any kind. Such actions may subject both the company and the colleague to prosecution and/or legal action.

3. Conflict of Interest

Employees must avoid all situations in which their personal interests conflict (or may be perceived to conflict) with their duties to the company.

3.1 Every colleague owes a duty of good faith to the company to advance its legitimate interests.

Employees are prohibited from:

(a) Acting on (for their own personal benefit) any opportunities that are discovered through the use of company property or information or their position with the company;

(b) Using company property or information or their position with the company for personal gain;

(c) Engaging in any business, commercial or financial interests or activities that might reasonably be regarded as competing with or is complementary to the company, its business or its activities;

(d) Accepting loans from those doing or seeking to do business with the company, except from those engaged in the general business of lending money and only upon standard commercial terms.

3.2 Employees must avoid acquiring any interest or participating in any activities that could create an obligation or distraction which would affect their judgment or ability to act in the company’s best interest.

3.3 Employees are required to obtain approval from their manager prior to serving as directors or managers of outside business firms and organizations.

3.4 Each colleague must report any material transaction or relationship (including those involving relatives) that could reasonably be expected to give rise to a conflict of interest.

3.5 If an improper financial benefit is gained by a colleague through a relative or someone in a close personal relationship as a result of the colleague’s employment with the company, or by the use or misuse of confidential information of the company, the colleague must account for any benefit received.

3.6 Employees may not (directly or indirectly) report to, supervise, or review the work of a relative.

4. Discrimination and Harassment Prevention

The company is committed maintaining a workplace that is free from discrimination and harassment.

4.1 Each colleague has the right to work in an environment that is free from harassment and discrimination based on race, ancestry, place of origin, color, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, record of offenses, marital status, family status, pregnancy, disability or any other ground listed in applicable laws, rules and regulations in the various jurisdictions in which the company conducts business.

4.2 Employees are responsible for maintaining a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment by:

(a) Behaving in a professional manner and treating others with respect by refusing to participate in or tolerate discrimination or harassment;

(b) Reporting known or observed incidents of discrimination or harassment and supporting employees who wish to report incidents of discrimination or harassment;

(c) Respecting the confidential nature of any investigation of discrimination or harassment

5. Health & Safety

The company is committed to providing and maintaining safe and healthy work environments for all employees. All must be constantly aware of the company’s Health and Safety requirements within their work areas.

5.1 Employees must follow safe work practices, standards and procedures.

5.2 Employees must report and address all observed hazards, including unsafe practices and defective equipment.

5.3 Employees must not be under the influence of alcohol while on the job.

5.4 Employees must not use, possess, distribute, buy or sell any illegal substances while on the job or on the company’s property.

5.5 Employees must not participate or engage in violent or threatening acts of any form, including those of a verbal, physical or visual nature.

6. Protection of the Environment

The company is committed to the protection of the environment and expects employees to honor this commitment by complying with industry standards and applicable laws regarding the environment.

6.1 Employees must take all necessary measures to adequately contain, use and store hazardous materials and substances and to prevent these materials and substances from being spilled or released into the environment.

6.2 Employees must maintain truthful, accurate and complete reports of all environmental operations, inventories and incidents, as required by law, and must report to management any circumstances in which toxic substances and/or materials are spilled or released into the environment.

6.3 Violations of applicable environmental laws, even if unintentional, can carry severe penalties and could result in prosecution of the company and the employees involved.

7. Protection and Proper Use of the Company Assets

All employees must safeguard the company’s assets and ensure their efficient use and protection from loss, damage, theft, misuse and waste.

Under no circumstances may the company’s assets be used for illegal or unethical purposes.

The company’s assets include (without limitation):

Employee/colleague work product and time at work;

The company’s equipment, supplies, computers, systems and software;

The company’s trading and bank accounts; the company’s information; the company’s reputation, trademarks and name; the company’s manuals, training and promotional programs; the company’s strategy, marketing, development and other such plans; and, the company’s business contracts and opportunities.

7.1 Employees must not engage in or be involved with any other business or organization which may require a colleague’s attendance or attention during his or her working hours.

7.2 Employees must comply with stated company policies and procedures when incurring and approving business expenses and ensure that such expenses serve the company’s business interests.

7.3 Employees must ensure that assets belonging to the company or its guests are protected from loss, damage, theft, fraud, misuse and waste. Employees are prohibited from the removal or disposal of these assets without the prior consent of their managers.

7.4 The company’s computer systems, data, programs, and communications systems, including servers which connect to the Internet, are company assets.

The company is capable of monitoring and recording all usage and inspecting all files stored in private areas of its computer network, which is subject to periodic audit and review by authorized the company personnel.

A colleague should not have any expectation of privacy in respect of e-mail or Internet usage.

Prohibited Internet use includes, but is not limited to:

(a) accessing Internet sites containing obscene, offensive or otherwise unethical material;

(b) accessing Internet sites containing material prohibited by law; and

(c) expressing personal opinions in a discussion group while using a the company e-mail address or the company’s computer system.

7.5 The company’s communication tools and systems are provided for business purposes and must be used in a professional manner. However, limited personal use of the communication tools provided by the company is permitted, provided such use is not for personal gain or any unethical or illegal purpose and provided such use does not interfere with the company’s business or the colleague’s duties.

8. Gifts

Employees must not, except as described below, use their employment status to give or accept for personal benefit any valuable gifts, favors, payments, loans or any other benefits (“Gifts”) to or from any person, organization or group that does, or seeks to do, business or competes with the company.

8.1 Employees may give, where their duties permit, and may accept, modest gifts provided that all of the following conditions are satisfied:

(a) the gifts are not cash or other negotiable instruments;

(b) the gifts cannot reasonably be interpreted as a bribe or an improper payment;

(c) the gifts are of nominal value;

(d) the gifts can reasonably be considered to be made as a matter of general and accepted business practice;

(e) the gifts do not violate any applicable law, rule or regulation in the various jurisdictions in which the company conducts business;

(f) if disclosed to the public, the exchange of such gifts could not reasonably be expected to harm the reputation of the company or anyone involved in the exchange in the gift.

Gifts meeting all of the tests contained in subsection 8.1 above are referred to as “permitted gifts” for the purposes of the code.

Section 9 of the code provides direction regarding gifts to public officials.

9. Dealing with Public Officials

All dealings between employees and public officials are to be conducted in a manner that could not reasonably be interpreted to compromise the integrity or the reputation of the public officials, employees or the company. Any inappropriate dealing with public officials may be subject to criminal and civil sanctions.

9.1 Any participation by a colleague in any bribe, scheme, kickback, illegal gratuity, indirect contribution or similar payment is prohibited and may constitute a criminal offence, whether or not such payment might further the company’s interests.

9.2 Since the giving of any gift to a public official may be interpreted as a means to secure the influence of the public official, employees may only provide permitted gifts (as defined in Section 8) to public officials with the permission of management.

10. Political Contributions

Employees must not use company funds for Political Contributions except as provided for in the exceptions below (see 10.2).

Political Contributions include anything as value that belongs to the company, such as money, property, or employee or colleague time.

10.1 Employees may engage in political activities on their own behalf but not as representatives of the company. Employees will not be reimbursed for any Political Contributions.

10.2 This section does not apply to Political Contributions approved under the standing authority granted to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

11. Proprietary and Confidential Information

The company’s records, reports, papers, devices, processes, plans, manuals and methods are proprietary and are should be held in the strictest confidence and not disclosed to any person or entity.

Employees are prohibited from any company information or any private information the company has access to regarding any third party without prior authorization.

11.1 Employees must not disclose any proprietary or confidential information about the company to anyone outside the company.

11.2 Employees must not disclose any private information obtained through the company about third parties with anyone outside the company.

11.3 Employees must appropriately handle, use and retain the company’s proprietary and confidential information.

12. Privacy

The company and its employees are committed to high standards for the protection of personal information of both employees and guests.

Personal information includes information about a person that is personally identifiable and that is not otherwise publically available. This excludes emails, phone calls and other pieces of information transmitted through the company's systems using the company's property.

12.1 Personal Information of Guests must be collected, handled, used and disclosed only in accordance with company policy and all applicable laws.

12.2 Personal Information of Employees must be collected, handled, used and disclosed only in accordance with company policy and all applicable laws.

13. Non-Public Material Information

The use of non-public material information for the employee's own benefit and/or any form of insider trading are strictly forbidden.

13.1 Employees who are aware of non-public material information relating to the company must not buy or sell shares or other securities of the company until such information has been publicly disclosed.

13.2 Employees must not discuss non-public material information with anyone except as specifically required in the performance of their duties.

13.3 The disclosure of non-public material information may violate United States and Canadian securities laws and may subject the company, the colleague making the disclosure and others to prosecution and severe legal consequences.

14. Fair Dealing and Trade Practice Standards

All business activities must be conducted in a fair and ethical manner in accordance with company policy and all applicable laws.

14.1 Each employee must deal fairly with the company’s guests, employees, customers, suppliers, and competitors. No one should take unfair advantage through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation, or omission of material facts or any other unfair practice.

14.2 Under no circumstances may an employee directly or indirectly violate any trade laws (or other applicable laws) designed to foster fair competition. Prohibited activities include, but are not limited to:

(a) Agreements with competitors or suppliers which directly or indirectly affect prices or limit marketing areas; or

(b) Agreements with one or more competitors to boycott a supplier or avoid selling to a customer.

15. Financial Information and Operating Activities

The company’s financial information, statements, and books must accurately represent the company's performance.

15.1 Employees must ensure that all transactions are authorized, executed, recorded and disclosed in accordance with company policy and applicable law.

15.2 Employees must ensure all transactions are supported by appropriate documentation and recorded in the proper accounts and in the proper accounting period. False, deceiving or misleading accounting entries are prohibited.

16. Code of Ethics Distribution and Acceptance

All employees will be provided with a copy of this code of ethics and are required to acknowledge in writing that they accept and understand its contents.

16.1 Upon hiring or as otherwise required by company policy, all employees must submit written acknowledgement of having read this code of ethics. Employees in positions of authority must acknowledge that they have read (or re-read) this code annually.

16.2 When individual is engaged under contract to provide services to the company and the individual is not an employee, the individual will be provided with a copy of the code and must sign the prescribed form acknowledging that the code of ethics will apply to the individual as if he or she were an employee.

17. Reporting Violations

In order to maintain a safe and productive work environment it is important that all suspected or actual violations of the code of ethics be reported immediately so that they may be investigated and resolved.

The code of ethics is a general statement of the company’s values of respect, integrity, teamwork and empowerment and it may not cover every circumstance. Therefore, employees should report any activity that they suspect may be a violation, even if it is not described specifically within the code.