A Code of Conduct (CoC) outlines the behaviours to be implemented when specific problems arise, becoming a corporate governance tool that identifies the company’s responsibilities to stakeholders.
The code of conduct audits allow the company to identify effective strategies for the management of extra-financial risks throughout the supply chain and to improve the image and sustainability of the brand in the reference market.
A CoC encompasses a wide variety of topics, addressing all stakeholders in its operating scenario, and is based on recognised standards or protocols, such as the ILO (International Labor Organization) conventions.
Second-party company audits based on international Codes of Conduct apply in various product sectors (food, textiles and clothing) and have various areas of application, from health and safety at work to the protection of workers’ rights, from respecting local and international standards to sustainable innovation and environmental protection.
Working with clients from a wide variety of industries and sectors, RINA has experience at international level in helping companies with the management of their codes of conduct: verifying principles, identifying improper conduct, contributing to the defining and updating of tools for supplier evaluation and qualification.
What is the difference between a Code of Conduct and a Code of Ethics?
A Code of Conduct, or a rule-based code, indicates behaviours and response strategies to specific problems.
A Code of Ethics, or a value-based code, provides sets of ethical principles and business values.
