
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Company has always endeavored to
accept and follow the internationally recognized code of conduct within
the organization. It has always been the aim of the Company to exceed
and excel through fair and transparent practices, many of which have
been in place even before they were mandated by the law and the regulatory
bodies such as SEBI.
1.2 Accordingly, it is recommended to
adopt a ‘Code of Conduct’ based on the
principles of internationally recognized best management practices
1.3 The ‘Code of Conduct’
of the Company is based on the following fundamental principles:
a. Place strong foundations for management.
b. Structure the Board to add value.
c. Follow ethical and responsible decision-making policies.
d. Make timely and balanced disclosures.
e. Respect the rights of the shareholders.
f. Enhance the performance at all levels of operations of the organisation.
g. Legal and Statutory compliances in letter and spirit.
1.4 The Company proposes a ‘Code
of Conduct’ on the basis of the aforesaid principles
2. INTERPRETATION
2.1 ‘Board’
shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
2.2 ‘Chief Executive Officer’
shall mean an individual appointed by Managing Director of
the Company and has the day to day management of the whole, or substantially
the whole, of the affairs of the company.
2.3 ‘Chief Financial Officer’
shall mean any person responsible for managing all funds, reviewing
the financial statements, establishing and maintaining internal controls.
2.4 ‘Chief Compliance Officer’
shall mean any person responsible for all statutory and legal compliances
of the Company besides providing services to the shareholders and who
shall be the Company Secretary of the Company and a member of the Institute
of Company Secretaries of India.
2.5 ‘the Company’
shall mean LLOYD ELECTRIC & ENGINEERING LIMITED.
2.6 ‘Executive Director’
shall mean and include Company’s Managing Director, Functional
Directors, and such other Directors are in full time employment of the
Company.
2.7 ‘Independent Director’
shall mean non-executive director of the company
who:
a. apart from receiving director’s
remuneration, does not have any material pecuniary relationships or
transactions with the company, its promoters, its senior management
or its holding company, its subsidiaries and associated companies;
b. is not related to promoters, Chairman,
Managing Director, Whole time Director, Secretary, CEO or CFO and of
any person in the management at one level below the board;
c. has not been an executive of the company
in the immediately preceding three financial years;
d. is not a partner or an executive of
the statutory audit firm or the internal audit firm that is associated
with the company, and has not been a partner or an executive of any
such firm for the last three years. This will also apply to legal firm(s)
and consulting firm(s) that have a material association with the entity.
e. is not a supplier, service provider
or customer of the company. This should include lessor-lessee type relationships
also; and
f. is not a substantial shareholder of
the company, i.e. owning two percent or more of the block of voting
shares.
2.9 ‘Non-Executive Director’
shall mean and include those members on Board who are not in whole time
employment of the Company.
2.10 ‘Senior Management’
shall mean personnel of the company who are members of management/operating
council (i.e. core management team excluding Board of Directors). Normally,
this would comprise all members of management one level below the executive
directors and shall include Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial
officer and Chief Compliance Officer.
2.11 ‘Managing Director’
means a director who, by virtue of an agreement with the company, which
has been approved by way of a resolution, passed by the Company in general
meeting is entrusted with substantial powers of management, which would
not otherwise be exercised by him.
2.12 ‘Financially Literate’
means the ability to read and understand basic financial statements
i.e. balance sheet, profit and loss account, and statement of cash flows.
2.13 ‘Financial Management
Expertise’ shall mean a member will be considered to
have accounting or related financial management expertise if he or she
possesses experience in finance or accounting, or requisite professional
certification in accounting, or any other comparable experience or background
which results in the individual’s financial sophistication, including
being or having been a chief Executive officer, chief financial officer,
or other senior officer with financial oversight responsibilities.
2.14 ‘Directors’
means the Directors for the time being of the Company.
2.15 ‘the Code’
means this ‘Code of Conduct’.
3. APPLICABILITY
This Code shall be applicable to the
Company and the following persons
(hereinafter referred to as ‘the Officers’):
a. All the Directors including the Managing Director, Executive Directors,
Non
Executive Directors, Independent Directors and Nominee Directors of
the
Company ;
b. The Chief Executive Officer;
c. The Chief Financial Officer;
d. The Chief Compliance Officer;
f. All Employees in the management cadre, all professionals serving
in the
Company and all the members of various Committees constituted by the
Board
including special invitees, if any.
4.
STRUCTURE OF THE BOARD
The role of the Board
• Exercise the care, diligence and skill of a reasonably prudent
person under
comparable circumstances.
• Ensure to enhance and maintain the reputation of the Company.
• Strive to contribute toward the growth, stability and service
that the Company
seeks to provide to its consumers, members, stakeholders and society
in general.
• Conduct themselves in a professional, courteous, and respectful
manner at all
times.
• Make available to and share with fellow Directors all information
as may be
relevant to ensure proper conduct and sound operation of the Company.
5.
CODE OF CONDUCT
The Company and its Officers which inter
alia includes the Board of Directors and the management officials especially
the senior management shall strictly follow the ‘Code of Conduct’
as enumerated hereunder:
No Director or Member of Senior Management
shall commit or condone an illegal act or
instruct another employee, etc. to do so.
Directors and other Senior Management
are expected to be sufficiently familiar with any
legislation that applies to their work, to recognize potential liabilities
and to know when
to seek legal advice.
6. CONFLICT
OF INTEREST
The Officers and employees of the Company
shall not engage in any business, relationship or activity that might
conflict with the interest of his company or the group. A conflict of
interest, actual or potential, may arise where, directly or indirectly:
a) An employee or an officer of the Company
engages in a business, relationship or activity with anyone who is party
to a transaction with his or her company;
b) An employee or an officer is in a position to derive a personal benefit
or a benefit to any of his or her relatives by making or influencing
decisions relating to any transaction;
7. OUTSIDE
BUSINESS INTEREST
Directors and Members of Senior Management
should declare their outside business interests at the time of engagement
and are required to limit outside business activities to avoid any conflict
of interests or breaches of any of the provision of this Code. Notwithstanding
any outside business activity, Directors and Members of Senior Management
are required to act in the best interests of the Company.
8. CONFIDENTIAL
INFORMATION
Directors and Members of Senior Management
should at all times maintain the confidentiality of all confidential
information and all records of the Company, and must not make use of
or reveal such information or records except in course of the performance
of their duties or unless the documents or information becomes matter
of general public knowledge.
Similarly, Directors and Members of Senior
Management should not use the confidential
information obtained through their association or employment with the
Company to further their private interests or the private interests
of their relatives.
Directors and Members of Senior Management
using the Company’s computer data base
or electronic mail system will be expected to comply with any internal
policies and procedures that guide the storage, use and transmission
of information through this medium.
9.
INVESTMENT IN COMPANY’S SHARES
Directors or Members of Senior Management
are expected to comply with the Insider Trading Regulations of the Company
and/or any other regulations/guidelines regarding investment in the
Company’s shares issued, from time to time, by the Securities
and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
10.
OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT
Directors or Members of Senior Management
may hold outside jobs or engage in modest
self-employment activities in their own time, using their own resources,
and in a manner
not adversely affecting their performance in the Company.
However, no Directors or Members of Senior
Management may accept work with a competitor, or with any entity that
could lead to conflict of interest or a situation prejudicial to the
interests of the Company.
11.
GIFTS AND BENEFITS
It is essential to the efficient business
practices that all those who do business with the Company as contractors/customers
etc. have access to the Company on equal terms. Directors or Members
of Senior Management should not accept entertainment or gifts (gifts
or entertainment in this clause includes cash, preferred loans, securities
or secret commissions), which grant or appear to grant preferential
treatment to a potential or actual contractor/customer of the Company.
A business relationship with the Company
will be conditional on compliance with this Code.
Similarly, no Director or Member of Senior
Management may offer entertainment, gifts of benefits, in order to secure
preferential treatment for the Company. Gifts, entertainment and benefits
may only be accepted or offered by a Director or Member of Senior Management
in the normal exchanges common to business relationships.
12.
ENVIRONMENT AND SAFETY
Environmental Protection is a fundamental
value of the Company. Directors and members of Senior Management have
a crucial role in ensuring that Company’s operations comply with
the environmental legislation and standards. Safety must be everyone’s
concern. The Company is committed to providing all employees a safe,
healthful and harassment free workplace and to ensuring safe and respectful
work practices and conditions. Directors and Members of Senior Management
have both a legal and a moral responsibility for the safety and the
protection of the environment. The Company and its Officers shall strive
to provide a safe and healthy working environment and comply, in the
conduct of the business affairs of the Company, with all regulations
regarding the preservation of the environment of the territory it operates
in. The Company and its Officers shall be committed to prevent the wasteful
use of natural resources and minimize any hazardous impact of the development,
production, use and disposal of any of its products and services on
the ecological environment.
13.
USE OF COMPANY’S PROPERTY
• Directors or Members of Senior
Management must not misappropriate the Company’s property for
personal use.
• Directors and Members of Senior Management are entrusted with
the care, management and cost-effective use of the Company’s property,
including the use of Company’s name, and should not make use of
these resources for their own personal benefit.
• Directors and Members of Senior Management should ensure that
all the Company’s property assigned to them is maintained in good
condition and should be able to account for such property.
• Directors and Members of Senior Management may not dispose of
the Company’s property except in accordance with the guidelines
for this purpose.
14.
FINANCIAL REPORTING AND RECORDS
The Company and its Officers shall prepare
and maintain accounts of the Company’s business affairs fairly
and accurately in accordance with the accounting and financial reporting
standards which represent the generally accepted guidelines, principles,
standards, laws and regulations of the country in which the Company
conducts its business affairs. Internal accounting and audit procedures
shall fairly and accurately reflect all of the Company's business transactions
and disposition of assets. All required information should be accessible
to Company auditors and other authorized parties and government agencies.
There shall be no willful omissions of any Company transactions from
the books and records, no advance income recognition, and no hidden
bank account and funds. Any willful material misrepresentation of and/or
misinformation on the financial accounts and reports shall be regarded
as a violation of this code, apart from inviting appropriate civil or
criminal action under the relevant laws.
15.
QUALITY OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
The Company and its Officers shall be
committed to supply goods and services of the highest quality standards,
backed by efficient after-sales service consistent with the requirements
of the customers to ensure their total satisfaction. The quality standards
of the Company's goods and services should at least meet the required
national standards, and the Company should endeavor to achieve international
standards.
16.
CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP
The Company shall be a good corporate
citizen, not only in compliance with all relevant laws and regulations.
The Company is encouraged to develop social accounting systems and to
carry out social audit of their operations.
17. COOPERATION
OF GROUP COMPANIES
The Company shall cooperate with other
Group companies by sharing physical, human and management resources
as long as this does not adversely affect its business interests and
shareholder value. In the procurement of products and services, the
Company shall give preference to another Group company as long as it
can provide these on competitive terms relative to third parties.
18
USE OF THE COMPANY BRAND
The use of the Company name and trademark
owned by the Company shall be governed by manuals, codes and agreements
to be issued by the Company. The use of the Company brand is defined
in and regulated by the Company Brand Equity & Business Promotion
Agreement.
19. ETHICAL
CONDUCT
Every Officer of the Company, which shall
include its Directors, Executive and Non Executive Directors, Managing
Director, CEO and CFO shall deal on behalf of the Company with professionalism,
honesty and integrity, as well as high moral and ethical standards.
Such conduct shall be fair and transparent and be perceived to be as
such by third parties.
20 LEGAL COMPLIANCES
The Officers shall comply with all applicable
government laws, rules and regulations. The employees and directors
shall acquire appropriate knowledge of the legal requirements relating
to their duties sufficient to enable themselves to recognize potential
dangers. Violations of applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations
may subject them to individual criminal or civil liability, as well
as to disciplinary action by the Company. Such individual violations
may also subject the company to civil or criminal liability or the loss
of business.
21. SHAREHOLDERS
The Company shall be committed to enhance
shareholder value and comply with all regulations and laws that govern
shareholders' rights. The board of directors of the Company shall duly
and fairly inform its shareholders about all relevant aspects of the
Company's business, and disclose such information in accordance with
the respective regulations and agreements. Every employee shall be responsible
for the implementation of and compliance with this code in his professional
environment.
22. INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY RIGHTS
All documents, processes, manuals, literature,
systems etc. or another intellectual property developed or created by
the Officers during the association of the Officers with the company
are sole property and Intellectual Property Rights of the Company.
23. REPORTING
CONCERNS
Every officer and employee of the Company
shall promptly report to the management any actual or possible violation
of this code, or an event he or she becomes aware of that could affect
the business or reputation of his/her or any other Group company.