ESG supplier code of conduct

Policy number	2.03	Version:	2024v2
Responsible Person	CFOO	Approval date:	October 2024

INTRODUCTION

Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) issues do not exist in a silo. ESG is about bringing them together under one banner to demonstrate the positive impact ASHM is having on the world. ESG is much like corporate social responsibility but on a more measurable scale.

As an organisation we have a duty to our people, our stakeholders, our partners and the wider world. Therefore, ESG forms a fundamental part of how our organisation lives our values in the real world.

PURPOSE

This ESG Policy sets out our approach to sustainability matters. At the heart of the policy is a corporate culture that has sustainability at the core of our business operations and values.

This ESG policy outlines ASHM’s guiding principles and the material ESG factors that we are committed to and consider relevant to the services and supports we provide.

This policy will inform ASHM’s ESG efforts moving forward. This includes but is not limited to reporting, policies, procedures, Board and staff activities, partnerships and stakeholder engagement.

POLICY STATEMENT

Our ESG Commitment

We strive to build sustainable. equitable, healthy and diverse communities through a combination of innovative work practises and including ESG considerations across all of our activity.

ASHM recognises the importance of addressing sustainability challenges and strives to contribute positively to environmental, social and governance matters that impact the health and wellbeing of our staff, stakeholders and broader communities. As such, we are committed to embedding ESG considerations into our governance, operations, culture and decision-making processes.

On Climate Change and the Environment

We believe climate change is one of the greatest risks to our world. Thus, we are committed to driving down our energy and carbon impacts by conserving natural resources by reusing and recycling and ensuring responsible use of energy throughout the organisation. We are committed to environmentally sustainable initiatives that deliver efficiency, value and health for our organisation, our staff, our stakeholders and the wider community.

We provide a safe and healthy workplace and strive to be an environmentally responsible neighbour in our community. We participate in efforts to improve environmental protection and understanding, enhancing awareness among our employees, volunteers, partners, and stakeholders by encouraging and motivating them to act in an environmentally responsible manner.

We encourage our partners to reduce their impact on the environment by encouraging the use of more sustainable materials. We actively promote a paper free office. We regularly support our staff to avoid printing, and we will make all endeavours to be a digital first organisation.

In our global program we undertake environmental impact assessments.

We comply with current environmental legislation and work to minimize the impact of our activities on the environment.

Our focus is to deepen relationships with our key stakeholders by investing in our employees and partnering with our members, clients, communities and investors.

We are committed to engaging with our staff to provide a challenging, dynamic, inclusive and diverse work environment that supports their professional development, as well as providing a good work life balance that prioritises their overall health and wellness.

Our mission is the virtual elimination of HIV, viral hepatitis, other BBVs and significant reduction of sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and our values prioritises collaboration, best practices, transparency, community ties, cultural respect, privacy, and addressing social inequities for continual quality improvement. We will support initiatives that benefit the environment, human welfare and education for all. This includes skills training that advance workforce talent pipelines for our stakeholders, partners and economic development for the communities in which we operate.

We will engage our staff and stakeholders around safety, health and wellness.

We will preserve and promote the protection of human rights and welfare within our own work activities in accordance with our Vision, Mission, Values Commitment statements, our Strategic Plan and our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

ASHM offers scholarships for sector conferences and educational trainings to promote equity in attendance. These scholarships support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healthcare professionals, healthcare professionals facing financial barriers, and healthcare professionals from rural or remote areas, and low-resource countries in Asia and the Pacific. Additionally, ASHM provides scholarships for community members with lived experience of blood-borne viruses.

On Ethical Governance

Our focus is to promote strong oversight, transparency and risk management at all levels of our organisation, ensuring the resilience and long-term preservation of value for our organisation.

We will maintain strong corporate governance practises through exemplary board stewardship, management accountability and proactive risk management.

We will mitigate risk exposure and build the resilience of our organisation to climate change and other catastrophic events through smart design and sighting.

We Are Committed to High Ethical Standards

We are committed to high ethical standards through a strong Code of Conduct and strong executive leadership that promotes a culture of integrity.

We cultivate strong stakeholder relationships through transparency, open communication and responding to stakeholder input.

ASHM is committed to the principles of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, Jakarta Declaration on Leading Health Promotion into the 21st Century, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as the highest standards of ethical conduct as practiced by medical, scientific and healthcare professions.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Board has overall responsibility for the effective delegation of this policy. The have delegated responsibility for its overall implementation to the Senior Management Team (SMT).
Line managers have day to day responsibility for this and staff should refer any questions they may have to them in the first instance.
This policy is reviewed every two years. Changes may be made at any time as government guidance develops.

MONITORING AND ENFORCEMENT

We seek to proactively prevent and mitigate instances of non-compliance with this ESG policy.

Any breaches or concerns, including ethical concerns or potential breaches in our commitment to high ethical standards should be reported as soon as possible through our whistleblowing channels.

Progress on this policy is reported to the Board on a regular basis. Active participation and engagement at all levels of the business is of great importance to ensure ownership of ESG by all staff. At minimum, we endeavour to maintain compliance with legislative requirements.

3.13 Procurement and Tendering Policy

3.15 Contracts (including MOUs) Policy

7.01 Travel – International and Domestic Policy

7.09 Printers, Printing and Scanning Policy

8.01 Promotional and Public Materials Policy

9.01 Global Policy

AUTHORISATION

Senior Management Team (SMT)

HISTORY

Version	Approved Date	Comments/ Amendments
2021V3	Oct 2021	First version “Environmental Sustainability Policy”
2024v2	Oct 2024	Renamed to consider changes to Australia’s ESG Reporting Standards and to review for currency and relevance

Policy Ref-2.03		Version:	2024v2
Responsible Person	CFOO	Approval date:	October 2024

introduction

As a member of ASHM, you have a vital responsibility to ensure our organisation thrives. When it comes to ESG, this means understanding your role in each area of ESG. You can start to do this by familiarising yourself with the concept of ESG, On an individual level, you have an important role to play.

Environmental:

We all have a role to play in reducing carbon emissions and getting to net zero. Consider the choices you make and the environmental impact. For instance:

When travelling, are there more environmentally friendly options to take?
Can some meetings be done remotely instead of travelling?
Think before you print.
Take notice of the office recycling and energy saving measures
When buying a take way coffee bring your own “Keep Cup” or use a cup from the kitchen

Building a diverse and inclusive workforce where everyone feels valued is everyone’s responsibility. Understanding your role in bringing people together is critical to our success as a business. From hiring the best talent to encouraging all staff to thrive, we want a workplace where people proactively work to be the best. You can help by:

Challenging and reporting discriminatory or offensive behaviour.
Understanding diversity and inclusion policies.
Being an active ally for groups often underrepresented.
Leading by example in your work.

Governance:

Good governance goes beyond having the right policies and procedures in place. It’s about embedding compliance in your day-to-day work. From completing training on time to actively understanding how regulations affect your work, good governance starts from the individual acting ethically.

Take governance to heart by:

Be a compliance champion in your team.
Refer to policies and procedures instead of shortcuts.
Be aware of red flags for compliance failures and risks in your area of work.
Don’t be afraid to call out poor behaviour or report failures.

Authorisation

ASHM CEO

ASHM’s ESG Supplier Code of Conduct

Introduction and Purpose

ASHM is committed to the highest standards of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) responsibility and compliance with applicable laws and international standards. This Code sets out mandatory requirements for all ASHM suppliers, contractors, agents, and business partners (“Suppliers”).

By engaging with ASHM, Suppliers agree to:

Comply with this Code and all relevant laws.
Cascade these requirements to sub-suppliers.
Demonstrate continuous improvement in ESG and safeguarding practices.

This Code aligns with:

ASHM ESG Policy
UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
OECD Due Diligence Guidance
Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth)
DFAT PSEAH and Child Protection Policies
Australian Counterterrorism and AML/CTF laws

1. Environmental Stewardship (E)

Suppliers must minimize environmental impact and adopt sustainable practices.

Focus Area	Required Standards
Climate Action & Emissions	Track and report greenhouse gas emissions and energy use. Set goals to reduce emissions and use renewable energy where possible.
Resource Efficiency & Waste	Apply circular economy principles: reduce, reuse, recycle. Minimize hazardous waste and ensure safe disposal. Implement water conservation and responsible wastewater management.
Biodiversity & Land Use	Avoid deforestation and habitat destruction. Respect protected areas and Indigenous rights.
Pollution Prevention	Prevent air, water, and soil pollution. Manage chemicals safely and phase out substances of concern.
Environmental Management System	Have a system to manage environmental risks and regularly review and improve it.

Suppliers must respect human rights and ensure safe, inclusive workplaces.

Focus Area	Required Standards
Human Rights & Modern Slavery	Comply with the Modern Slavery Act 2018. Identify and mitigate modern slavery risks. Provide information for ASHM’s reporting obligations.
PSEAH	Prevent sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment. Meet the minimum legal standards in your country and ensure staff are trained.
Child Protection	Follow child protection laws in your country. Use child-safe recruitment and report any suspected abuse immediately.
Wages, Hours & Benefits	Pay fair wages meeting or exceeding legal and industry standards. Limit working hours to ≤60 hours/week including overtime.
Non-Discrimination & Dignity	Ensure workplaces free from discrimination, harassment, and abuse. Enforce anti-harassment policies.
Freedom of Association	Respect workers’ rights to unionize and bargain collectively without retaliation.
Health & Safety	Provide safe working conditions, PPE, emergency preparedness, and access to clean water and sanitation. Workers may refuse unsafe work without reprisal.

3. Governance & Ethics (G)

Suppliers must uphold integrity, transparency, and accountability.

Focus Area	Required Standards
Counter-Terrorism & AML/CTF	Comply with Criminal Code Act 1995 and AML/CTF Act 2006. Do not engage with sanctioned or terrorist-listed entities. Implement due diligence to prevent funds, goods, or services from supporting terrorism or money laundering.
Anti-Corruption & Bribery	Zero tolerance for bribery, corruption, extortion, or fraud.
Anti-Fraud Compliance	Have anti-fraud policies with controls to detect and prevent fraud.
Fair Competition	Comply with anti-trust and competition laws. No price-fixing or bid-rigging.
Confidentiality & Data Protection	Protect ASHM’s confidential information and comply with data privacy laws.
Responsible Sourcing	Conduct due diligence to avoid conflict minerals and unethical sourcing.
Internal Controls & Reporting	Maintain accurate records and implement internal controls to prevent non-compliance.

4. Compliance, Monitoring & Remedy

Due Diligence: Maintain ESG and legal compliance systems.
Training: Provide regular training on Modern Slavery, Anti-Fraud, PSEAH, Child Protection, and AML/CTF.
Reporting: Notify ASHM immediately of:
- SEAH or child protection incidents.
- Modern slavery indicators.
- Links to terrorism or financial crime.
Information Requests:
ASHM may occasionally ask Suppliers to share information to help us understand and improve ESG performance.

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Policy