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Ethical management·corruption prevention definition

Ethical management·corruption prevention definition


SK gas is a company that practices ethical management and anti-corruption

SK gas is a company that practices ethical management and anti-corruption



Conflicts of Interest

Conflicts of Interest

이해상충/업무수행 관련 질문과 답변으로 구성된 자주하는 질문 (이해상충/업무수행) 테이블
Can employees borrow money from an owner running a company trading with their company?

Q. I have an acquaintance who runs a company that is in a business relation with our company. I want to borrow money from him to settle my debts. Is this case against the Code of Ethics?

A. Even if you are in a desperate situation, borrowing money from any person in a business relation with the company is prohibited. You may think this case does not go against the principle of trust and faith, but your acquaintance may feel obliged to accede to your request because of the business relation between you and her/him.

If there is any one of your acquaintances, friends or cousins who are running a business related with our company, then you have to report this to your manager or the department in charge of the relevant affairs in advance.
One of my alumni is running a business in partnership with our company. Can she pay for private gatherings such as family gatherings or alumni reunions?

Q. One of my alumni who is one of my closest friends is running a business in partnership with our company. Sometimes I eat with her and go family picnics, and she pays the cost on these occasions. Is this against the Code of Ethics?

A. As she runs a partner company in a business relation with our company, you have to pay your own costs because you are in a position to influence transactions between our company and her company. You should discuss this with her.
My uncle is working for one of our partner companies and requests some changes in the transaction conditions.

Q. My uncle has recently entered into a company that is in partnership with our company. Accordingly, I have seen plenty of him, and more recently he has frequently requested me to change the product delivery period and contract price. I have been put in a difficult situation. What should I do?

A. The fact that your uncle is working for one of our partner companies should not matter if all the business practices are done in accordance with given conditions and regulations, and productivity may be rather increased because you have a good and close relationship.

In your case, it is recommended that you first report to your manager or relevant department the fact that your uncle is working for one of our partners and he is in charge of business you are involved in. This is a report regarding conflict of interests. The leader or department will accept and review your report and then take the appropriate actions.
If I can manage or address a case of conflict of interests, can I avoid reporting the case to the Company?

Q. When a conflict of interests happens and if I can manage or address the case by myself, then can I avoid reporting the case to the Company?

A. Although you can address the conflict of interests by yourself, you should report it to your manager or the Ethical Management Office if you feel the case may have serious consequences for the company.

Corporate Asset/Management

Corporate Asset/Management

회사자산/경영정보 관련 질문과 답변으로 구성된 자주하는 질문 (회사자산/경영정보) 테이블
Sometimes the difference between the protection of business secrets and the transparency of management becomes blurred.

Q. Recently the company has put more emphasis on transparent management. However, sometimes the difference between the protection of our business secrets and the transparency of management becomes blurred in terms of relationships with partners or contractors. Please advise.

A. Management and technology information which are acquired and utilized for business purposes shall be protected with care. Most of such information relates to business secrets which should also be treated with special care. If you are having difficulty deciding whether to disclose internal information to improve relationships with partners or to maintain secrecy, please consult the relevant department or team regarding the confidentiality of the information in question. In any case, you don't have to disclose any business information to others if not in a business situation.
One of my coworkers sent an outsider an critical business document that I created and shared.

Q. I created a management report about our Company which is an important business document. I shared the document with those I considered relevant to the report. One of the recipients forwarded the document to an outsider and this became an issue. Please advise.

A. If you share the document with only those who are closely related with the document, you are not to blame for any leakage, but you are if the circumstances are otherwise.
I gave away a business secret of our company during a private conversation with my friend.

Q. I got a call from my friend and was asked to send him some management documents. I acquired those documents and sent them to my friend via e-mail. Is this against the Code of Ethics?

A. Protection and management of corporate information is very important in the execution of corporate ethics, and the importance has increased in this digital era.

In particular, talking about business information or secrets in any public place including airports, restaurants and bars should be refrained from. Also any information regarding company business must not be disclosed to outsiders regardless of whether it is trivial or confidential. If throwing away documents containing business sensitive information, you must shred the documents. Information can also be disclosed or leaked by carelessness, so it is required to take special care in treating and managing corporate information assets.

Gifts/Treats

Gifts/Treats

선물/접대 관련 질문과 답변으로 구성된 자주하는 질문 (선물/접대) 테이블
Please advise on the scope of stakeholders to which guidelines regarding gifts are applicable to.

Q. Sometimes employees are allowed to offer or receive gifts and treats. Please advise on the scope of stakeholders to which guidelines regarding the acceptance and offering of gift and treats are applicable to.

A. The scope include companies and individuals who trade products and services with us, or any other related government or public agencies and organizations. Also your colleagues, boss, manager, juniors are included.
According to the Code of Ethics, employees can accept or offer gifts and treats that are deemed acceptable according to conventional norms. Please elaborate on these in detail.

Q. According to the Code of Ethics, employees can accept or offer gifts and treats that are reasonable and deemed acceptable according to conventional norms and practices. Tell me more about what is reasonable and acceptable.

A. What is reasonable and acceptable refers to what is generally deemed acceptable by most people and without there being any sense of largesse. So in practical terms it may refer to a gift or treat about which the provider and recipient feel no psychological or financial burden, but which rather upholds the principle of trust and faith. However, in practical situations, it is not easy to make a clear distinction regarding whether or not the gift or treat you are receiving or offering is socially acceptable or permitted according to conventional norms. The following guidelines are prepared to help you make a proper judgment about this. In general, when all of the following guidelines are satisfied, then the gift or treat can be accepted.

① They generally conform with accepted business practices and are taken as a sign of goodwill
② They are not worth very much in monetary terms and are not frequently offered
③ They do not affect the reputation of the organization and its members even when the acceptance or offering of them is public
④ They are no quid pro quos involved
I was offered entertainment by one of our partner companies.

Q. An employee of our company had a dinner with staff from a partner company to celebrate a project they successfully collaborated and completed. He was offered a treat at an adult entertainment spot by the partner company. If he accepts the offer, then is it against the Code of Ethics?

A. We have to refuse this sort of offer by partners, contractors or third parties, even though it may not be easy to refuse the offer flatly. Especially expensive treats at spots like an adultery entertainment venue can cause a serious problem. If you accepted such an expensive treat, it is understood that no reciprocal favors are expected.
A community in a sisterhood relationship with our company sent us some agricultural products.

Q. A community in a sisterhood relationship with our company sent us a box of agricultural products with a hand-written thank you letter in it. What should I do?

A. Accepting the package does not seem inappropriate. This is because the package was sent from the heart and not from the wallet, so to speak. In addition, a sisterhood relationship is not a business-oriented relationship. Also, returning the gift would seem surly and might damage an established relationship. The gift can be shared with employees who worked together in projects related to the sisterhood relationship.
What do I have to do if offered a gift or treat which is not conventionally accepted?

Q. Sometimes partners send me expensive gifts. What should I do with these gifts?

A. In principle, you have to refuse the gift or return the gift to the sender. If you received the gift in unavoidable circumstances, please behave in the following ways;

·Refusal : politely refuse at the time of offering, with explanation regarding corporate ethical management policy
·Return : If the gift is delivered via post and accepted by others, immediately return the gift to the sender with a polite explanation regarding corporate ethical management policy.
·Donate : If returning or refusing the gift can cause a problem or hurt the business relationship, then donate it to charity
Reporting : Report what you did with the gift (refusal, return, donate) to the manager in a verbal or written manner
A team leader gives a present to its members. Is this against the Code of Ethics?

Q. A team leader gives a present to its members. Is this against the Code of Ethics?

A. Team leaders can do that and it is not problem if the present is bought, prepared or serviced using financial support from partners or the rest of the budget. Providing team leaders with valuables or gift cards is strictly prohibited.

Mutual Respect

Mutual Respect

상호존중 관련 질문과 답변으로 구성된 자주하는 질문 (상호존중) 테이블
My manager frequently uses language that belittles others.

Q. My manager frequently uses language that is insulting. What should I do?

A. It is highly recommended that involved the parties resolve any conflict through dialogue. However, if the manager's attitude and words do not change despite your repeated requests, please contact the Ethical Management Office for help.
Employees shall respect others as colleagues and maintain their dignity as SK members. Particularly prohibited actions include intrusion into others' privacy, abuse of human rights, sexual harassment, or discrimination on the basis of educational background, gender, birth location, etc.
Can I still be punished if I follow an unfair or dubious order from my manager?

Q. It is quite difficult or impossible for employees to refuse to do what the manager has requested, even when the request is not fair. If I commit an unfair practice as a result of an order from a manager, am I guilty?

A. If an employee behaves against the Code of Ethics as a result of an order from his/her manager, he/she will be punished with the manager in relation to what they did.
So if you think the order from your manager is not appropriate or unfair, please refuse flatly or request help from upper management or the Ethical Management Office.
What should employees do if they are sexually harassed?

Q. G is a 30-year-old lady who works for K Research Lab as a researcher. She was sexually harassed at the last team gathering and was overcome with shame and anger afterwards. In an inebriated state, the manager said to her at the gathering: "G you are old and about to have menopausal symptoms. That means you are not a woman any more, but a granny." Then he hugged her and touched her thighs and got angry when she refused. The very next day, G asked the manager to apologize but the manager kept avoiding the matter, saying that he could not remember what happened. He also started to make things unpleasant for G's by not assigning her any tasks, etc. With regard to this story about G, what should be done by the person concerned or 3rd parties to address the situation? - Quoted from a case study on sexual harassment education prepared by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family -

A. Sexual harassment is immoral behavior as well as a serious crime that infringes upon human rights and impedes the proper execution of work while debasing the work atmosphere
The victim of sexual harassment shall request remedial actions and an apology from the perpetrator, and should contact the team leader or Ethical Management Office if the perpetrator refuses to do as requested. Any 3rd parties who witness this sort of situation should also contact the Ethical Management Office or Sexual Harassment Counseling Center.
What should team leaders do to prevent sexual harassment?

Q. What should team leaders do to prevent sexual harassment?

A. Leaders can do the following things to prevent sexual harassment.

-Change the culture of team gatherings (for example, from drinking gatherings to eating or doing sports or leisure activities)
-Quickly cope with any sexual harassment to prevent further sexual harassment taking place or other crimes developing.
-Immediately warn an employee if he/she committed an act of sexual harassment in the office or at a gathering.

Regulatory Compliance

Regulatory Compliance

법규준수 관련 질문과 답변으로 구성된 자주하는 질문 (법규준수) 테이블
I requested agencies to purchase extra amounts so that I could meet my revenue goals. Is this against the Code of Ethics?

Q. W Division has recently seen a decrease in sales and market demand. To reduce the amount of inventory and increase sales, W Division is planning to make a request to its agencies. Is this against the Code of Ethics?

A. Transferring sales amount to agencies is typical of unfair trading practices. Accompanying growth can only be expected with mutual respect and fair trade. Pursuit of temporary profits for yourself will transfer the burden to others, so this is strictly prohibited.
My manager is planning to manipulate or cover up our team's infringement of an environmental regulation.

Q. I planned to report our team's infringement of an environmental regulation, but my manager is planning to cover it up.

A. Any disclosure of the manipulation or concealment of regulatory infringements can significantly damage the company's established reputation and image as an environmentally friendly company as well as reduce the trust of stakeholders.
Therefore, if your manager concealed any infringement, please contact the relevant supervisor or division or department in charge of ethical management to properly have the case dealt with.
Do we have to end a business relationship with a company that has become embroiled in social controversy because of illegal business practices?

Q. The president of company D, which has been in a long business relationship with L Business Unit, was imprisoned due to illegal practices. In this case does the unit end the established relationship with D company?

A. If the illegal practice or controversy might damage the image of the company severely, then you can start a discussion about ending the business relationship with the company in question.
However, to do this in a legitimate way, both companies shall provide sufficient explanation about their ethical policies and principles to each other, and agreements companies should contain conditions such as; "This agreement can be terminated by the Company if there is any illegal or unfair business practice perpetrated by the Contractor that leads to social controversy."

Protection of Whistleblowers

Protection of Whistleblowers

상담/제보자 보호 관련 질문과 답변으로 구성된 자주하는 질문 (상담/제보자 보호) 테이블
What kinds of identity protection measures does the company provide for whistleblowers whose identification is exposed in the process of investigation?

Q. What kinds of identity protection measures the company provide for whistleblowers whose identification is revealed in the process of investigation?

A. Company and the personnel handling reports by whistleblowers make the utmost efforts to keep the the identity of the whistleblower and the report secret.
However, when the identity of the reporter is revealed unintentionally, they will provide the best possible measures to prevent the whistleblower from being put at any disadvantage due to the reporting. If the whistleblower finds or is expecting that his/her identification or personal information is revealed, he/she can request the department in charge of reporting for help. The company and the department will provide the best protection measures with the preferences and intention of the whistleblower taken into account. Individuals and/or department who unfairly treat the whistleblower, will be dealt with and punished appropriately in accordance with relevant regulations.
Does the company have in place any special measures to mitigate or address any conflicts stemming from whistleblowing?

Q. Whistleblowing is a mandatory action but does the company have in place any special measures to mitigate or address any conflicts arising from whistleblowing?

A. The company is obligated to protect the identity of the whistleblower and do their best to keep the identity secret in the process of investigation.
For example, the company will take measures against any disadvantage the whistleblower is put at to protect whistleblowers. If something unethical has taken place, it has to be addressed as soon as possible. In this regard, whistleblowing is beneficial to the company and the employees. Individuals and/or department who unfairly treat the whistleblower, will be dealt with and punished in accordance with relevant regulations.
What kinds of reporting must the company protect?

Q. The company operates a whistleblowing process to encourage insiders to report on any infringements of ethical management rules. There may be some reports that are motivated by private interest or personal spite against others, and these are included under protection of whistleblowers. If then, what kinds of reporting is justified and eligible for the protection provided by the company?

A. Reports motivated by private interest or personal spite will be punished by the company in accordance with relevant regulations. If they are made by contractors or partners, the business relationship can be terminated.
Just and proper reports that are eligible for the protection of the company shall satisfy the following conditions.

- The motives are strictly professional and relevant to the well being of the company.
- The report is about any illegal, immoral and/or unfair activities by insiders which have a significant effect on the company.
- The report contents are relevant and accurate
- The report is made in a legitimate and reasonable manner
If there has been any infringement made prior to the enforcement of the Code of Ethics, how is it treated?

Q. If there has been any infringement made prior to the enforcement of the Code of Ethics, how is it treated?

A. In principle, there's no retrospective application of the regulations.
However, if the infringement is still causing a problem, it should be mitigated or addressed voluntarily. Otherwise, it can cause a problem.