The Descartes Systems Group Inc. and its affiliates (collectively, “Descartes”) requires its employees to act ethically and responsibly and it expects its business partners to share this commitment.  The purpose of this Business Partner Code of Conduct (“Partner Code”) is to clarify our expectations with respect to the standards of business conduct that Descartes expected of its business partners. 

Resellers, referral partners contractors, consultants, vendors, suppliers, agents and other providers of goods and services who do business with any Descartes company worldwide (collectively “Business Partners”) are expected to operate their businesses in compliance with this Partner Code.

Business Conduct Principles
Although there may be different legal and cultural environments applicable to its Business Partners, Descartes expects its Business Partners to conduct business responsibly, with integrity, honesty, and transparency, and to adhere to the following principles:

  1. Compliance with Laws and Regulations 
    Business Partners must comply with all applicable laws, rules, or regulations of the jurisdictions in which they operate. This includes, but is not limited to, laws and regulations relating to environmental, occupational health and safety, labor practices, privacy and anti-corruption.
  2. Occupational Health and Safety 
    Business Partners shall provide their employees with a safe and healthy working environment with a goal of preventing accidents and injury occurring while at work.
  3. Labor Practices
    Descartes expects its Business Partners to operate its business in a manner that creates a work environment in which its employees and contractors feel valued and respected for their contributions, adopts sound labor practices and treats their workers fairly, including providing wages for regular and overtime work and benefits that meet or exceed legal requirements; not requiring workers to work more than the maximum hours per day set by local laws; not discriminating in its employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, physical disability, national origin, creed, or any other basis prohibited by law; and treating each employee with dignity and respect. Business Partner's are expected to operate their business so as to prevent any situation where workers are subject to threats of violence, physical punishment, confinement, or other form of physical, sexual, psychological, or verbal harassment or abuse.
  4. Ethical Business Practices
    Bribery, extortion, kickbacks and facilitation payments are expressly prohibited by Descartes in any of its dealing with Business Partners, or any other party.  Business Partners must comply with all applicable anti-bribery and anticorruption laws to which they are subject.  In addition to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), Descartes is also subject to the UK Bribery Act which prohibits bribery of any kind (including both government officials and private commercial businesses).  Improper payments by Business Partners can create liability for both Descartes and Business Partners. Monitoring and enforcement procedures shall be implemented by Business Partner to ensure their compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws.

    Business Partners are expected to observe Descartes’ guidelines regarding gifts and entertainment and conflicts of interest when dealing with Descartes employees. Business Partners are prohibited from providing or offering gifts to Descartes employees that could inappropriately influence Descartes’ business decisions or be used to gain an unfair advantage.

    Business Partners shall not engage in collusive bidding, price fixing, price discrimination, or other unfair trade practices in violation of antitrust laws.

    All business dealings should be transparently performed and accurately reflected on Business Partner’s business books and records.   Falsification of records or misrepresentation of conditions or practices is unacceptable.
  5. Intellectual Property
    Intellectual property rights, including use of trademarks and copyright, are to be respected; transfer of technology and know-how is to be done in a manner that protects intellectual property rights.
  6. Responsible Sourcing of Minerals 
    Business Partners shall have a policy to reasonably assure that minerals used in the products they manufacture do not directly or indirectly finance or benefit armed groups that are perpetrators of serious human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or an adjoining country. Participants shall exercise due diligence on the source and chain of custody of products that contain these minerals and make their due diligence measures available to Descartes upon request. 

    Reference also Descartes Policy on Conflict Minerals (www.descartes.com/legal/compliance/policy-on-conflict-minerals).
  7. Privacy 
    Business Partners are to commit to protecting the reasonable privacy expectations of personal information of everyone they do business with, including suppliers, customers, consumers and employees. Business Partners are to comply with privacy and information security laws and regulatory requirements as applicable when personal information is collected, stored, processed, transmitted, and shared.
  8. Reporting suspected violations of the Partner Code
    Any Business Partner or Descartes employee that becomes aware of violations of the Partner Code is obligated to notify Descartes through the following reporting hotline: https://www.openboard.info/dsgx/index.cfm

Last Updated:  February 23, 2015