CODE OF ETHICS

DOING THE RIGHT THING

1.

THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS

Izon Science Limited (“Izon”) and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Izon Group”) conducts business ethically, honestly, and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.  This applies to every business decision in every area of the Izon Group worldwide.

2.

OUR PRINCIPLES OF BUSINESS CONDUCT

The success of the Izon Group is based on creating innovative, high-quality products and services and on demonstrating integrity in every business interaction.  Our principles of business conduct define the way we do business worldwide.  These principles are:

  • Honesty. Demonstrate honesty and high ethical standards in all business dealings.
  • Respect. Treat customers, suppliers, employees, and others with respect and courtesy.
  • Scientific integrity. Maintain the highest standards of professional integrity and ethical conduct in scientific research.
  • Protecting the Environment. Operate in a way that has the lowest possible impact on the environment.
  • Confidentiality. Protect the confidentiality of our information and the information of our customers, suppliers, and employees.
  • Compliance. Ensure that business decisions comply with applicable laws and regulations.We should always do the right thing.
3.

PERSONS COVERED BY THIS POLICY

This policy applies to each company inthe Izon Group and all directors, employees and contractors of the Izon Group.

4.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

Your actions and statements, whether to customers, suppliers, competitors, or employees, can impact on the way people see us and whether they choose to do business with us.  You are expected to:

  • Follow the code. Comply with this Code of Ethics and all applicable legal requirements.
  • Set the example. Behaviours are contagious. Be a model for your co-workers and our partners.
  • Speak up. If you have knowledge of a possible violation of this Code of Ethics, other policies of the Izon Group, or legal or regulatory requirements, you are expected to notify either your manager (provided your manager is not involved in the violation) or the CEO.
  • Use good judgement. Apply our principles of business conduct, review our policies, review legal requirements, and then decide what to do.
  • Ask questions. When in doubt about how to proceed, discuss it with your manager or the CEO.Failure to comply with this Code of Ethics, or failure to report a violation, may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment or the end of your working relationship with the Izon Group.

DOING THE RIGHT THING

5.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

At law, when representing Izon you have a duty to act in good faith and in the best interests of Izon.  You should avoid conflicts of interest.

A conflict of interest is any activity that is inconsistent with or opposed to Izon’s best interests, or that gives the appearance of impropriety or divided loyalty.

6.

CORPORATE OPPORTUNITIES

You are expected to advance Izon's legitimate interests when the opportunity to do so arises. Do not:

  • Take for yourself any opportunity discovered through the use of Izon property, information or your position.
  • Use Izon property (including Izon's name), information or your position for personal gain.
  • Compete with Izon.
7.

PROTECTING IZON’S ASSETS AND INFORMATION

We all have an obligation to protect Izon's property and to abide by the following guidelines"

  • Watch what you say. Being aware of who is around you, and what they might learn from you is an important way we all protect Izon’s secrets. Don’t let Izon secrets fall into the wrong hands.
  • Protect our stuff. Keeping track of Izon assets and information entrusted to you. Preventing opportunities for loss, misuse, waste, or theft of Izon property is everyone’s responsibility.  Trash is inevitable.  Waste is not.  Before disposing of Izon assets, discuss your plans with your manager, get approval, and follow applicable policies.
  • Using our stuff. Only use Izon assets for lawful business purposes authorised by Izon.
8.

ACCURACY OF RECORDS AND REPORTS

Accurate and timely records are critical to meeting our legal, financial, and management obligations.  Ensure that all records and reports, including timecards, customer information, technical and product information, accounting and financial information, correspondence, and public communications, are complete, accurate, timely and understandable.

Never delay in creating, maintaining and updating records or reports, misstate facts, omit critical information, or modify records or reports in any way to mislead others and never assist others in doing so.

DOING RIGHT BY OUR CUSTOMERS, EMPLOYEES AND OTHERS

9.

CUSTOMER FOCUS

Every product we make and every service we provide provides a solution for our customers.  Focus on providing solutions for our customers’ research goals and product development by developing innovative, high-quality products and services and demonstrating integrity in every business interaction.

10.

ACCURACY OF RECORDS AND REPORTS

Izon is committed to building a high-performing, diverse workforce based on mutual trust, respect and acceptance.

We will ensure that no one is excluded from a position for which they are suitably skilled and qualified to perform, by inappropriate systems, practices and attitudes.  For us, diversity means eliminating barriers to make sure that everyone is fairly considered for the employment of their choice and that they have the chance to perform to their full potential. We will:

  • Promote awareness around the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce.
  • Encourage employees to offer views and suggestions towards achieving organisational goals.
  • Review our systems, policies and practices to make sure an inclusive approach is taken.
  • Ensure our built environment continues to support an inclusive workplace.
11.

DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT

Izon will not tolerate discrimination or harassment of employees or non-employees with whom we have a business, service, or professional relationship.  This applies to interactions with employees, customers, suppliers, and applicants for employment, and any other interactions where you represent Izon.

Discrimination based on such factors as race, colour, creed, religion, sex, national origin, marital status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity characteristics or expression, genetic information, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, medical condition, or any other basis protected by law is unacceptable.Harassment by any means, including sexual harassment, bullying, verbal, physical or phycological abuse or any other demeaning, intimidating or hostile behaviour is unacceptable.

If you feel that you have been discriminated against or harassed or have witnessed such behaviour, report the incident to any supervisor, manager or the CEO.

Izon will:

  • Promote awareness of our policies through education and training.
  • Encourage others to speak out against any harassment that is witnessed or experienced.
  • Investigate allegations of victimisation of complainants or others where complaints have been made.
  • Ensure the complainant and the respondent to any complaint are entitled to a fair investigation process, which is kept as discrete as possible.
  • Make sure incidents of discrimination or harassment are reviewed and appropriate action is taken.
  • Ensure the safety and well-being of all parties throughout the investigation process.

Any form of discrimination or harassment is totally unacceptable behaviour and may be treated as serious misconduct.

12.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Izon values its people and is committed to ensuring that we all go home safely, every day. We actively promote health and safety and understand that a safe and healthy work environment contributes to our success.

We ensure a healthy and safe environment by:

  • Taking responsibility for our own safety and the safety of those we work with.
  • Using equipment and tools as they were intended to be used.
  • Only carrying out work we are competent to perform and, if in any doubt, stopping and asking for advice.
  • Intervening if we think someone else will be hurt by what they are doing or by what we are doing.
  • Complying with applicable safety laws and following safety procedures and requirements specific to our area of work.
  • Looking for ways to continually improve health and safety for our people.

You are responsible for:

  • Only undertaking work where you believe it is safe to do so.
  • Reporting hazards and unsafe work practices.
  • Reporting injuries and dangerous near misses.
  • Ensuring you are free from the influence of drugs or alcohol when at work.
13.

SMOKE FREE ENVIRONMENT IN THE WORKPLACE

Izon is a smoke free and vape free workplace.

CONDUCTING BUSINESS ETHICALLY

14.

COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND POLICIES

You are required to comply with all relevant laws, rules and regulations and polices and codes of the Izon Group when working for us.

15.

THIRD-PARTY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

We do not to knowingly use the intellectual property of any third party without permission or legal right.  If you are told or suspect that we may be infringing an intellectual property right, including patents, copyrights, trademarks, or trade secrets owned by a third party, you should contact your manager or the CEO.

16.

NO BRIBERY OR CORRUPTION

We do not offer or accept bribes or kickbacks in any form, and we do not tolerate corruption in connection with any of our business dealings.  You may not offer or receive bribes or kickbacks to, or from, any individual, whether that individual is a government official or a private party.

17.

GIFTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

You should not accept gifts or personal benefits of any value from external parties if it could be perceived that such acceptance might compromise or influence any decision by Izon.  “Gifts” and “personal benefits” can include accommodation, goods, services and discounts.

Entertainment is an accepted business custom when conducted within proper limits.  Participation in business-related functions, including the giving and receiving of meals on occasion, is a normal and permissible business practice.  These and other forms of business-related entertainment are permissible if the value and frequency of such entertainment is reasonable and appropriate.

Moderation and appearances are key.  When in doubt, you should consult with your manager or the CEO as to whether you may accept/provide gifts and entertainment.  Nothing should be solicited or accepted which would impair or appear to impair you from acting in the best interests of Izon.

Koha is a gift or contribution given on appropriate occasions made in the context of a Maori (or another culture’s) custom.  Koha may only be given if it is culturally appropriate and there is no expectation that the recipient provides something in return.

It may be illegal to give a gift, even an inexpensive meal or a T-shirt, to a government employee.  The rules vary depending on the location and job position of the government employee (for example, rules may vary by state, school district, and city, and there may be different rules for various elected and non-elected officials).

18.

COMPETITION AND TRADE PRACTICES

Agreements with competitors are subject to rigorous scrutiny in all countries. Competitors are expected to compete and compete aggressively on all terms. Agreements with our distributors, and suppliers can also give rise to scrutiny.

You should not:

  • Agree with competitors or exchange information with competitors on price, policies, contract terms, costs, inventories, marketing plans, capacity plans, or other competitively significant terms.
  • Agree with competitors to divide sales territories, products, or assign customers.
  • Agree with distributors on the resale pricing of Izon products without legal approval.  Distributors must be free to determine their own resale prices.

RESPECTING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

19.

CONFIDENTIAL IZON INFORMATION

One of our greatest assets is information about our products and services, including future product offerings.  Never disclose confidential, operational, financial, trade secret, or other business information without verifying with your manager that such disclosure is appropriate.  Never share confidential information outside the Izon Group (for example, with vendors, suppliers, or others) unless anon-disclosure/confidentiality agreement is in place.  Always limit the amount of confidential information shared to the minimum necessary to address the business need.

20.

CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEE INFORMATION

As part of your job, you may have access to personal information regarding other employees or applicants, including information regarding their employment history, personal contact information, compensation, health information, or performance and disciplinary matters.  This information is confidential and should be shared only with those who have a business need to know.  It should not be shared outside the Izon Group unless there is a legal or business reason to share the information and you have approval from your manager.

21.

CUSTOMER AND THIRD-PARTY CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

Customers, suppliers, and others disclose confidential information to the Izon Group for business purposes.  It is the responsibility of every employee to protect and maintain the confidentiality of this information.  Failure to protect customer and third-party information may damage relations with customers, suppliers, or others and may result in legal liability.

DOING RIGHT BY SCIENCE

22.

SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY

Good scientific research is fundamental to the advancement of human health and welfare.  The quality of the research and the value of the knowledge achieved depend intrinsically on the integrity of those performing the research.  Honesty, truthfulness and transparency not only contribute to the accuracy and reliability of the scientific activity and its outcomes, they also form the foundation for public trust in scientific research.

Izon adheres to and is committed to promoting the following principles in scientific research:

  • Integrity. Requires the demonstration of intellectual and moral honesty in proposing, conducting and reporting research. Truthfulness and responsible conduct underlie the integrity of research proposals, information, data, analyses, reports and publications.
  • Ethical Conduct. Research must comply with all applicable legal and ethical requirements and other guidelines and practices.
  • Excellence/Quality. Organisations and researchers should strive for excellence when designing, undertaking, analysing and reporting research to produce work of the highest quality and ensure reproducibility.
  • Accountability.  You are responsible for your actions and your commitments to research.
  • Independence and Impartiality. Research should be conducted objectively, free of bias, prejudice or undue influence. Base conclusions on a critical analysis of the evidence, and interpret data objectively.  Endeavour to maintain objectivity and a lack of bias, ensuring that commercial objectives do not influence the conduct or communication of research.
  • Respect for persons and communities. Organisations and researchers should respect, colleagues, research participants, society, ecosystems, cultural heritage and the environment.
  • Safety. Organisations and researchers should ensure the safety of all involved in research and avoid unreasonable risk of harm to research subjects, patients, participants, researchers and others. Research should be initiated and continued only if the anticipated benefits justify the risks involved.

DOING RIGHT BY THE ENVIRONMENT

23.

PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT

Izon is committed to operating in a manner that conserves the environment and is sustainable.

24.

REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF THE CODE OF ETHICS

Reviewed and Approved: By the Board 23 August 2022

Next review date August 2024