Saab 2012 Annual Report Download - page 40

36 SAAB ANNUAL REPORT 2012
ETHICS
AIMING TO SET AN EXAMPLE
Saab’s Code of Conduct sets forth guide-
lines that dene how we are expected to act
with each other as colleagues, in contacts
with our customers and in our communities.
We have a zero tolerance policy with regard
to violations of any kind.
Saab will be a trustworthy and reliable partner that promotes an
open and transparent market. We are committed to acting ethi-
cally in everything we do on the basis of current laws, our values
and Code of Conduct, and industry codes of conduct. Our Code
of Conduct was developed based on OECD guidelines for mul-
tinationals and the UN Global Compact. In 2011, we introduced
an updated version of our Code of Conduct and joined the Global
Compact.
Industry cooperation to fight corruption
The Aerospace and Defence Industry Association (ASD) is a
coordinating agency for the European defence industry and has
drafted Common Industry Standards to ght corruption. Saab
participates actively in ASD meetings and has implemented ASD
requirements and procedures in its own operations. The basic
rules also served as the starting point for a more extensive coop-
eration between European and U.S. defence contractors as part
of the International Forum on Business Ethical Conduct (IFBEC).
IFBEC’s mission is to develop and in various ways promote ethical
standards within the global aerospace and defence sector. Saab
is a member of IFBEC and participates in its Steering Committee.
Through this international collaboration, the industry has clearly
expressed its commitment to ghting every form of corruption
through the use of best practices and uniform rules. On an annual
basis, members evaluate their anti-corruption efforts and proce-
dures for complying with established ethical regulations. Results
are compiled in a report and the 2012 report is available at http://
ifbec.info/.
Business ethics at every level
In a global society, companies ll an important function by creat-
ing sustainable growth and doing business ethically. Trust and
transparency are critical to future success. All employees have
been provided information on Saab’s Code of Conduct and are
expected to familiarise themselves with its contents and follow its
guidelines.
Risk-based approach to corruption
Saab has implemented a risk-based approach to corruption: each
transaction and market activity shall be preceded by a corruption
risk analysis. A special tool (the Corruption Risk Assessment Tool)
has been developed to make it easier for all employees to conduct
the analyses. The tool helps single out factors that typically tend
to impact the risk of corruption.
All employees within the marketing and sales organisation
receive training on the implications of the requirements imposed
on business managers to conduct a corruption risk assessment in
conjunction with each transaction. Saab continued training efforts
in this area during 2012 – including information on current legisla-
tion, regulations and Saab’s procedures for hiring consultants
– for the marketing and sales organisation. 570 people have been
trained to date, and all employees will complete the programme.
When Saab makes use of market consultants, and other advis-
rors, all such collaborations are analysed and evaluated centrally.
Specic rules of procedure must be followed, and every decision
must be preceded by a thorough analysis. The marketing and
sales organisation training programme includes a specic module
on our regulations for using marketing consultants. Saab has also
introduced training for the marketing consultants we retain. As a
condition for signing new contracts with Saab, they must com-
plete this training and sign a document stating that they agree to
work pursuant to Saab’s guidelines.
The existing training programme will be supplemented in 2013
with web-based anti-corruption training. All employees who are
exposed to any form of corruption risk will complete this training.
New anti-corruptionindex for
the defence industry
Transparency International published its Defence Companies
Anti-Corruption Index in October 2012. The index ranks de-
fence companies’ systems and processes for preventing cor-
ruption. We achieved 77.9 per cent, giving us a “B” on an A-F
grading scale. The index is based on a range of topics covering
everything from the systems and processes that have been
developed in this area to how these are communicated and
monitored within the company. Our code and internal policies
and our risk management received particularly high marks in
the survey – this is especially gratifying considering that these
were prioritised areas in our creation of a robust compliance
programme.