Code of Conduct

Failure to comply with the principles or the spirit of our Code of Conduct or associated policies will be considered a serious breach and will be investigated. Breaches of our Code of Conduct or policies may result in disciplinary action, including termination of employment.

All breaches of the Code of Conduct are required to be recorded and reported in line with South East Water procedures.

While our Code of Conduct provides general guidance and expectations regarding conduct, no code or policy can ever cover every conceivable circumstance you may face. In everything you do, you are expected to listen to and act upon your conscience to support and maintain South East Water’s and your reputation. 

If you need more information or are unsure of South East Water’s expectations or your obligations, we encourage you to speak with your people leader or a member of the People Partnership team.

The Risk, Quality and Assurance team is responsible for ongoing review and development of the Code of Conduct. On commencement of employment and yearly, everyone who is employed by, or works at South East Water, completes a declaration, to show that they understand the principles of the Code of Conduct, confirm that they have complied with them in the previous year and agree to comply with them in the future.

Honestly report all actual or suspected breaches of our Code of Conduct, the law, or policies immediately to your people leader or the People Parntership team. We will maintain your information in accordance with relevant legislation. You are able to report actual or suspected breaches at any time under the Public Interest Disclosure Policy and Procedure where the conduct is dishonest, corrupt, fraudulent, illegal and unethical or any other type of reportable conduct.

South East Water’s stakeholders, customers, partners and our own colleagues expect us to be accountable for our actions and behaviours and uphold our reputation. Therefore you are required to:

• Undertake your duties with due diligence and care. Make decisions fairly, without bias and based on facts. You are accountable for your decisions and actions you take. 
• Deal fairly, honestly, timely, respectfully and with objectivity with all colleagues, customers, suppliers, third parties and business partners.  
  
• Exercise your authorities, including any relevant limits. You are responsible for understanding your authorities, accountable for how they are used and substantiating them. 
• Behave in a way that takes into account our impact on the broader community and the environment in both the short and long term. 
• Use all of our, partner and customer assets, including tangible, intellectual and electronic, as well as corporate credit cards, for proper legal and authorised purposes, and keep accurate and transparent records.
• Never participate in activities or functions in a way that may damage our reputation.
• Conduct yourself in an apolitical manner and avoid participation in political activity in the course of your work.
• Maintain a standard of dress which is neat, clean and appropriate for the type of work undertaken.

Our success and standing is dependent on honesty, fairness and integrity. Operating responsibly underpins everything we do. For that reason you are obliged to:

• Immediately report any suspicions of fraud, theft or other dishonest behaviour by others. 
• Never improperly use your position, or any information you receive through your work, to further your own personal interests, or help others to do so. 
• Never help anyone to break or evade the law. 
• Treat colleagues, customers and others with whom you do business with respect, dignity, fairness and courtesy.
• Ensure all dealings with customers, suppliers or third parties are properly recorded and transparent. 
• Never initiate or respond to online and public comments about South East Water or its employees as a representative of South East Water without approval.

We value and invest in a diverse, safe, inclusive and empowered workplace for all. To provide our services, our assets are appropriately managed and employed for authorised purposes.

• Contribute to promoting a safe working environment by taking responsibility for safety and wellbeing, following procedures and reporting any issues as soon as possible. 
• Treat all people you deal with through your work with dignity and respect. Don’t misuse your position or authority.
• Make employment decisions based on merit, and not on attributes that are irrelevant to employment or performance. 
• Never discriminate, harass or bully colleagues, customers, visitors or anyone else. 
• Respect other’s opinions, differences, perspectives and expertise.
• Actively participate in the performance planning and development process.
• Obtain written permission from your people leader before undertaking work with another organisation.
• Intellectual property created or invented in the course of your employment remains the property of South East Water unless otherwise agreed.
• Take responsibility for the protection and care of our and others assets. Never engage in acts of sabotage, theft or damage to our and others assets.
• Be fair and inclusive by acknowledging the skills, abilities and background of others.
• If your activities involve children, vulnerable customers, etc. adhere to our related policies and processes to protect them from harm.
• Comply with directions that are lawful and reasonable.

Perceived, potential or actual conflicts of interest can harm associations and reputation as well as exposing South East Water to legal damage. We do not exploit relationships for personal advantage.

• Be alert to actual, perceived or potential conflicts of interest, disclose them as per our processes and cooperate in their management.
• Seek approval for any outside business interest (paid or unpaid), directorships, partnerships or a direct or indirect financial interest which has the potential to be in conflict with your employment, the interests of South East Water partners, customers or suppliers. 
• Keep an arm’s length relationship when dealing with customers or suppliers and obtain written approval to do business, transact with or hold a direct or indirect financial interest in customers or suppliers you deal with in the course of your work. 
• Disclose any personal associations with a third party that you are involved in evaluating or negotiating with, whether for employment, as a customer or supplier or any other reason which may compromise you, the third party or South East Water.
• Close personal relationships involving people in a direct hierarchical relationship (i.e. in the same reporting line, where one person has supervisory or decision-making authority over the other) must be declared through our Conflicts of Interest Declaration process. 
• An actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest may also arise in close personal relationships with another employee that are without a direct hierarchical relationship. In this instance, you are required to monitor the risk of a conflict arising and must declare the relationship where an actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest arises.

South East Water maintains private and confidential customer and commercial information. Misuse of this information can have severe consequences on our reputation and customer trust.

• Keep information secure. This includes not sharing private or confidential information with other employees unless they need it to perform their work. 
• Never record or release private or unsubstantiated information about customers or colleagues to third parties unless the person the information relates to has agreed or if it is required under law. 
• Follow all policies relating to the maintenance of passwords and user profile setup. Never allow someone else to log on using your individual details. 
• Collect, use, store, handle, update and destroy information, particularly personal information, in line with applicable policies and processes at all times. 
• Never disclose any information about South East Water that is not already in the public domain without the proper authority to do so.

The giving and receiving of payments, benefits or gaining an improper advantage may make it difficult to remain impartial about persons or organisations providing them.

• Reject any gift, reward or entertainment, including discounted products or services, for yourself or others, if it could create an obligation or expectation that could conflict with your work. 
• Never try to improperly influence the outcome of an official decision, by offering a gift, payment or benefit that is not legitimately due. 
• Only accept gifts, benefits or entertainment hospitality in line with our policies. 
• Only entertain customers and business associates with lunches, dinners etc., if the nature and value of the entertainment is reasonable in light of the nature and value of the business relationship with South East Water and the seniority of the parties attending. 
• Obtain proper approval for and properly record any donations, sponsorships, charitable contributions, gifts and entertainment you accept from, or give to, a third party on behalf of South East Water.
• Refuse all offers of gifts, benefits or hospitality from people or organisations about whom we are likely to be making decisions involving tender processes, procurement, enforcement, licensing or regulation.

Effective compliance management reduces risks associated with reputation, financial loss, inefficiencies and safety.

• Follow all applicable health, safety and wellbeing obligations that apply to your work.
• Don’t take, or fail to take any action, that may breach this Code of Conduct, the law, policies, procedures or practices. Always operate within legal boundaries and follow the spirit as well as the letter of the law.
• Complete all required training and education programs to build and maintain your awareness and understanding of relevant laws, policies, procedures and practices. 
• Understand your responsibilities, expected performance and behavioural standards.
• If you are unsure whether a particular law, policy, procedure or practice applies, seek guidance from your people leader.