Sustainability Management Manual

Extract

Objective

Formal and documented sustainability management will allow Mexichem development to prevent and manage risks in order to remain stable and constant, that is, to be more resilient in the face of changes; to take advantage of investment opportunities as well as of its relationship with society; to have a smaller social and environmental impact, and therefore, to be more efficient. The Mexichem’s sustainability management system is based and will expand management processes and systems already implemented at Mexichem, such as ISO 9001, 14001 and OSHAS 18001, and international guidelines such as:

  • ISO26000 “Social Responsibility”
  • Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G4 Version
  • EIRIS Evaluation Methodology
  • Integral Responsibility Management System (Responsible Care)

With the purpose to identify and manage:

  • Social and environmental risks within our organization.
  • Interaction and expectations among our stakeholders.
  • Development opportunities our organization may take advantage of by implementing sustainable strategies and objectives.

Content

The content of the Management Manual is divided in three main sections: the generation of economic value, the generation of social value and the preservation of the environment. This document collects the main points of view, positions and stance of Mexichem in such topics.

Human Rights

Mexichem grants as fundamental corporate principles and values the protection, respect and promotion of the Human Rights. Mexichem, through the Internal Audit Direction has established a monitoring program to supervise in a preventive manner these principles. All deviation complaints will be investigates by Corporate Internal Audit and the Ethics Committee, or whoever they appoint. So, all the people that collaborate in Mexichem must:

  • Treat with respect and dignity all the people that surrounds us, implementing practices that warranties their equal and transparent development, as well as respect their Rights.
  • Avoid any activity that might affect children, including any commercial deal with people, organizations or companies that might incur in such activities.
  • Avoid any act of discrimination, be it because of gender, race, religion, ascendency, place of origin, social, economic or physical condition.
  • Avoid any activity that might encourage forced labor, illegal deprivation of freedom or freedom of association, including making business with organizations or enterprises that might incur in such activities.
  • Mexichem avoids getting involved with companies or organizations that infringe Human Rights.
  • Mexichem evaluates the application of all Human Rights for any external operation it wishes to acquire by means of the Due Diligence process.

Labor Practices

Mexichem Labor Practices are based on the International Work Organization norms and meet the legislation of the countries where we operate. Form Mexichem it is imperative the development and healthy relationship with its human capital, therefore:

  • All Mexichem operating facilities give priority to their collaborators’ health and security by implementing a security management system. Mexichem warrantees the right to a healthy and safety work environment, through sanitary and safe work conditions.
  • Operating health risks for pregnant or nursing women, or for any person with any particular health conditions, are analyzed.
  • At all times, we respect our personnel right to form their own organizations with the purpose of supporting their interests or negotiating collectively.
  • Mexichem is an enterprise where diversity is valued. The performance evaluation of all personnel is never subjected by race, sex or any other characteristic.
  • Any collaborator could develop in Mexichem by merits of its own professional labor.
  • Any organization that wishes to make business with Mexichem must comply with the labor legislation in the countries where they operate.

Environmental Preservation

Mexichem has a Security, Environmental and Quality Policy, which is applied to all our operations, and uses an environmental management systems in its operations.Mexichem identifies and evaluates its operations environmental impacts, and possible future ones. In order to minimize our environmental impacts, all Mexichem sites must:

  • Identify and meet the applicable environmental laws and norms.
  • Feature an environmental protection and environmental footprint minimization program in order to achieve a quick implementation of environmentally friendly and efficient processes.
  • Implement eco-efficiency indicators to reduce the use of power, water and other resources.
  • Reuse the largest amount of water possible.
  • Implement optimized measures to progressively reduce and minimize direct and indirect GHG emissions within Mexichem control and promoting similar actions in its sphere of influence as well.
  • Prevent or reduce the use of ozone-depleting gases.
  • Implement planning, designing and operating practices as a means of minimizing environmental impact resulting from land-use decisions.
  • Avoid the loss of natural ecosystems and take measures to preserve any threatened or endangered endemic species or habitat.
  • Designs and implements an environmental accidents prevention, investigation and preparation plan and prepares an emergency plan covering accidents and incidents inside and outside the plant involving workers, partners, authorities, local communities and other relevant stakeholders.
  • The Mexichem’s Sustainability Committee analyzes, every three years, the main Climate Change threats for all the regions where we operate and design an adaptation and mitigation strategy accordingly.

Ethic Commercial Practices

Mexichem is and Enterprise recognized by its values and principles. The fundamental pillar of our daily behavior is our Code of Ethics. As part of this ethical behavior in all our operations, Mexichem:

  • Has no direct influence on the creation or modification of public policies.
  • Values and protects its own property rights and those of third parties.
  • Avoids any activity or relationship that might promote corruption, including commercial deals with people, organizations or companies that might incur in such activities.

Product Stewardship

Mexichem main principle is that all products and services offered by the company, within normal conditions and reasonably predictable use, are safe for our consumer clients and other people who are exposed to them, their property and environment; as expressed in the company´s mission. In order to fulfill this principle, Mexichem manages that:

  • All products and services offered by the company comply with health and security laws, regulations, standards and other specifications in order to consider all health and security aspects of the country where they are marketed.
  • Human health risk evaluations are conducted before introducing new materials, technologies or production methods.
  • The design of products offered by Mexichem actively search for raw materials, processes or design alternatives resulting in a lower impact on the environment and user’s health and security. It is also made consider taking full advantage of reusing, repairing or recycling possibilities at the end of their life cycle.
  • No animal testing is performed. The only exception of this principle is where we are forced by an authority to do so, and in such cases, the studies are conducted by approved laboratories.
  • Mexichem does not conduct genetic engineering research.

Customer Service

As clients and customers are part of Mexichem main stakeholders, the following requirements promoting excellent relationship with theseare established:

  • Sales teams instruct customers regarding the correct use of products, necessary safety measures, energy and water efficient use, and environmental care to be observed when using Mexichem products
  • Provide customers with programs to actively participate in packaging and containers recovery, reuse or recycling of Mexichem products.
  • Mexichem advertising and marketing is never involved in unfair, unclear or ambiguous practices and always include critical information. Neither it uses texts, audio or images perpetuating the use of stereotypes.
  • Mexichem has a customer complaint service to attend, manage and resolve our customers’ doubts and suggestions and complains. This is constantly monitored and evaluated in order to achieve our customers’ satisfaction.

Community Involvement

Mexichem is committed with the development of the communities where we operate, seizing opportunities to create shared value projects. Our actions include several forms of intervention, due to the different stakeholders which we interact, such as assistance and self-management development support. Throughout these we stimulate the initiative and voluntary work of our personnel that can contribute to the social development of these communities. To manage our good-neighbor actions, all Mexichem sites must:

  • Carry out a survey, according to local regulations and communities, including ethnic communities, regarding development terms and conditions that might affect or benefit them.
  • Promote its assistance brigades integration with the competent authority (Civil Protection), so as to facilitate implantation of emergencies or natural disasters response plans in communities where it operates.
  • Promote nearby community training so as to favor local labor force.
  • Give preference, as far as possible, to products and services local suppliers.
  • Install mechanisms to answer and attend neighbors’ suggestions and complaints.
  • Establish at least one shared value project among nearby communities.
  • Promote nearby communities’ health by having them participate in the security weeks.