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1. Rationale
1.1
The Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has come out with
additional guidelines on Corporate Governance by revising Clause 49 of the
Listing agreement.
1.2
The Company’s Code of Conduct for Directors and Senior Management (the
“Code”) is framed as a part of maintaining and promoting the business conducts
and adhering to the standards of Corporate Governance.
2.
Interpretation
2.1 'Board' shall mean Board of Directors of the Company.
2.2
'Non-Executive Director' shall mean those members of the Board who are
not in whole time employment of the Company.
2.3
‘Independent Director’ shall mean a Director as defined in Clause 49 of
the Listing Agreement.
2.4
'Senior Management' shall mean personnel of the Company who are members
of the top management (excluding Board of Directors) and shall include General
Managers, Deputy General Managers, Assistant General Managers and the
Compliance Officer
2.5
'Compliance Officer' shall mean any person responsible for all
statutory and legal compliances besides providing services to the shareholders.
3.
Applicability
The Code is applicable to the following persons:
§
Chairman and Managing Director
§
Other Directors, who are members of the Board of the Company, including
non-executive and independent directors
§
General Managers, Deputy General Managers, Assistant General Mangers
§
Compliance Officer
4.
Compliance with Code of
Conduct
4.1
The Directors and Senior
Management, as mentioned above are expected to read and understand this Code,
act in accordance with the highest standards of personal and professional
integrity in all aspects of their activities, to comply with all applicable
laws, rules and regulations, to deter wrongdoing and abide by the code of conduct
of the Company and other policies and procedures adopted by the company that
govern the conduct of its Directors and Senior Management.
4.2
Nothing in this Code shall
constitute or be construed to constitute a contract of employment for a
definite term or a guarantee of continued employment.
4.3
The Code should be read in
conjunction with the policies of the respective business unit.
4.4
The responsibility to
familiarize with the policies and procedures shall rest with the Directors and
Senior Management to whom the code applies.
5.
General Standards
5.1. Mutual Respect, Honesty and Integrity
5.1.1
The Directors and Senior Management shall conduct the operations with
honesty, integrity and openness with respect for the human rights and interests
of the employees.
5.1.2
The Directors and Senior Management shall similarly respect the
legitimate interests of those with whom they have relationships both internal
and external to the company.
5.2
Corporate Business
Opportunities
In carrying out their duties and responsibilities,
the Directors and the Senior Management should avoid:
i.
appropriating corporate business opportunities for themselves that are
discovered through the use of Company property or information or their position
as Directors or part of Senior Management
ii.
using company property or information for personal gain
iii.
competing with the Company
5.3
Conflict of Interest
The Directors and Senior Management are expected to
avoid personal activities and financial interests, which could conflict with
their responsibilities to the company. Examples of such conflicts of interest
include:
i.
Employment/Outside Employment –
The Directors and Senior
Management are prohibited from engaging in any activity that interferes with
their performance or responsibilities to the Company, or is otherwise in
conflict with or prejudicial to the Company. The Senior Management should not
accept simultaneous employment with suppliers, customers, developers or
competitors of the Company, or from taking part in any activity that enhances
or supports a competitor’s position.
ii.
Related Parties
-
The Senior Management should
avoid conducting the business with the relative, or with a business in which a
relative is associated in any significant role. Relative includes spouse,
siblings, children, parents, grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles,
nieces, nephews, cousins, step relationships and in-laws.
The Company prohibits the
employment of such individuals in positions that have a financial dependence or
influence (eg., an auditing or control relationship),
or a supervisor/subordinate relationship.
iii.
Payment or Gift from Others –
a.
Under no circumstances the
Senior Management may accept any offer, payment, promise to pay, or
authorization to pay any money, gift, or anything of value from current and
prospective customers, vendors, consultants etc that is perceived as intended,
directly or indirectly, to influence any business decision, any act or failure
to act, any commitment of fraud, or opportunity for the commitment of any
fraud.
b.
Gifts may be accepted in the
form of non cash items of nominal value, customary and reasonable meals and
entertainment at which the giver is present, such as the occasional business
meal or sporting event and gifts from family or friends with whom the Senior
Management have non business relationship.
iv.
Other Situations –
If any proposed transaction
gives rise to any questions or doubts, Senior Management must consult the
Chairman and Managing Director.
5.4
Disclosures and Reporting
5.4.1
The Senior Management will seek to promote fair, accurate, timely and
understandable disclosure in the reports and documents filed or submitted to
regulatory bodies and circulated to shareholders.
5.4.2
The Company seeks to provide disclosure to the investing community that
is not only in conformity with applicable rules of the regulatory bodies, but
also fairy presents to the investors and the public the financial condition and
results of operations of the Company.
5.5
Compliance with Laws, Rules and Regulations
The Senior Management is
expected to -
i.
Acquire appropriate knowledge of the legal requirements relating to
their duties sufficient to enable them to recognize potential dangers
ii.
Comply with all applicable and identified laws, rules and regulations,
5.6
Insider Trading
The Directors and Senior
Management should observe all applicable laws and regulations including the
Company policies and Codes as applicable to them with respect to the purchase
and sale of the Company’s securities.
5.7
Maintaining Confidentiality
The Senior Management shall take all reasonable
measures to protect the confidentiality of non-public information about the
Company or its subsidiaries and their customers obtained or created in
connection with their activities and to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of
such information unless required by applicable law or regulation or legal or
regulatory process.
6.
Amendments and waivers
6.1
The Company reserves the
right to amend, waive or alter the policies set forth in the Code at any time.
6.2
Any amendment to the Code or
waiver of any of the provision of the Code requires prior approval of the
Board.
7.
Acknowledgement and Annual
Certifications
7.1
Every person to whom the
code applies should sign the
7.2
Every person to whom the
code applies shall also certify in writing or such prescribed means, his or her
continued understanding of this Code before 30th April every year.
7.3
The signed
8.
Violation of the Code
8.1
Actual violations of law,
this Code or other Company policies or procedure should be promptly reported to
the Chairman and Managing Director or the Compliance Officer of the Company.
8.2
The Company will take
appropriate action against any Officer whose actions are found to violate the
Code or any other policy of the Company, after giving him a reasonable
opportunity of being heard.