Telefónica: Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability
Sustainability at Telefónica
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Code of conduct
The Business Principles, Telefónica's Code of Ethics, inspires and defines the way in which the company undertakes its activities and its relations with its stakeholders.
Our Business Principles bring together a series of directives and guidelines that seek to orientate our staff in their day to day work, both in decision making and the way in which they interact with customers, suppliers, shareholders, employees and society in general.
We established this code of ethics in December 2006 in order that it might be applied to all the countries in which we operate. Our Business Principles, together with our values, vision and behaviour, constitute our corporate culture, essential if we wish to be the leading global communications company in the world.
Our Business Principles are structured around General Principles: honesty and trust, respect for the law, integrity and respect for human rights. They are also evolving in order to respond to new concerns such as those that have arisen in the new digital environment.
All our employees are responsible for their decision making in accordance with our Business Principles and for notifying in the event of any sign that said decisions will not be acted on. In order to ensure awareness and understanding of these Principles, an online training programme has been developed which all our staff need to pass as well as a Confidential Hotline.
Telefónica organises on-line and face-to-face training to spread the Business Principles among its employees. Around 74,000 employees, a figure which represents around 60% of its staff (not including telephone operator personnel), have successfully completed the e-learning course that was created for this issue. The company also holds workshops in many countries in order to demonstrate how our Business Principles are a fundamental tool in day-to-day decision making.
A confidential hotline allows employees to request advice and raise questions associated with compliance with the Business Principles, especially when they see signs of infringement.
Suppliers and other stakeholders can also access confidential channels through websites set up to accommodate Telefónica’s relations with its various stakeholders.
In 2010, these channels dealt with a total of 121 cases, either anonymously or in person. Of these, 84 were queries relating to the application and implementation of our principles and associated policies, whilst the rest related to possible breaches.
All cases are dealt with thoroughly and on a confidential basis; care is taken in making any decision, with respect for people involved in possible infringements.
For further information:
> http://www.telefonica.com/
> Download PDF document "Principios de Actuación de Telefónica"