All our principles and the core standards of Averda’s global code of conduct are encapsulated in our ‘How We Do Business’ guide, which must be followed in every country where we operate. This important document is included in on-boarding for new joiners and is annually refreshed by senior management and signed off by the Board.
Averda has made a number of recent new board appointments, including a new Chairman, Steve Lucas who is a highly respected senior executive with a significant depth and breadth of financial and leadership experience. Aside from Steve, we recently hired Esa Ilkaheimonen, who has over 30 years’ experience as executive and non-executive director at both public and private companies to be Averda’s Chairman of the Audit and Finance Committee.
The Risk Committee and the Nomination and Compensation Committee both help to ensure the maintenance of high governance standards. The latter meets at least once to year and takes responsibility for reviewing and approving, on behalf of the Board, the amount and types of compensation for each member of the Board and executive management. They develop the company’s remuneration policy, which lays down the principles governing remuneration, and provide general guidelines for incentive pay to the members of the Board and senior management.
In 2019 the Board reviewed and signed off Averda’s Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy which clearly sets out Averda’s responsibilities and those of everyone working with us. All employees must undertake mandatory anti-bribery training. We have implemented training programmes for colleagues across the business so that everyone knows what these activities look like and are aware of the clear escalation policy should they be encountered. Our legal counsel is a key contact for employees concerned about these kinds of issues and we are currently in the process of implementing a new intranet site called Speak Up which employees can use to report suspected cases of corruption or bribery.