Code of Conduct
INTRODUCTION
Alstone Textiles (India) Ltd.(formely Known As Shalimi Holdings Ltd.) is, committed to conducting its affairs ethically and lawfully. This Code of Conduct establishes policies & procedures that are intended to guide directors, officers and employees in the performance of their duties and responsibilities and ensure compliance with the Company’s commitment to ethical and lawful conduct. These standards are set forth in the pages that follow and are reflected in the character and the conduct of our directors, officers and employees, which are in consonance of compliance of the revised Clause 49(IIE) of the Listing Agreement, in its true spirit and not only as a matter of legal compliance. In pursuant of the said Clause, the Board of Directors of the company in their meeting held on 17th January, 2015 approved the revised Code of Conduct, which has become effective w.e.f. 17th January, 2015. A copy of the Code of Conduct as approved by the Board of Directors is provided hereinafter.
We also encourage you to seek assistance either from your superior or from the Secretarial Department when a question or concern arises with respect to any matter addressed in this material. If you have question or concern about a code of Conduct provision or about some action or practice you observe, you should always bring your questions to the attention of the company by talking to your superior, other members of management, the company’s Legal or Secretarial Department or use the Company’s anonymous reporting system. The key is to make the Company aware of any questions of concerns you have so they can be investigated, evaluated and appropriately addressed. “For the purpose of this code the SENIOR MANAGEMENT mean personnel of the company who are members of its core management team excluding Board of Directors. Normally, this would comprise all members of management one level below the executive directors, including all functional heads.
SECTION 1.
Compliance with laws, rules and regulations
We respect the law at all times
SHALINI and its employees are bound by the law. Compliance with all applicable laws and regulations must never be compromised.
SECTION 2.
Conflicts of Interest
We will always act in the best interests of SHALINI
A Conflict of Interest occurs when personal interests of an employee or the interests of a third party compete with the interests of SHALINI. In such a situation, it can be difficult for the employee to act fully in the best interests of SHALINI. Employees shall avoid Conflicts of Interest whenever possible. If a Conflict of Interest situation has occurred or if an employee faces a situation that may involve or lead to a Conflict of Interest, the employee shall disclose it to Legal or Compliance Function to resolve the situation in a fair and transparent manner.
SECTION 3.
Corporate opportunities
We are committed to advance SHALINI’s business
Employees shall not compete with the Company. Nor shall they take personal advantage of business opportunities that they discover during the course of their employment, unless the Company expressly waives its interest in pursuing such opportunity. If employees want to pursue business opportunities that might be of interest to the Company, they shall inform their Line Manager who will seek a management decision as to whether or not the Company wants to pursue the opportunity. Even if the Company decides against pursuing the opportunity, the employee may seize the opportunity on his or her own behalf only if it is clear that doing so will not result in direct or indirect competition with the Company’s operations.
SECTION 4.
Insider trading
We respect and follow the Insider Trading Rules when buying or selling SHALINI’s securities
Company prohibits the purchase and sale of shares or securities on the basis of potentially share price relevant information which is not yet public. Non-compliance may not only entail disciplinary sanctions, but also result in criminal charges. When in doubt regarding the interpretation or applicability of insider trading rules, employees shall consult with the Legal or Compliance Function.
SECTION 5.
Antitrust and fair dealing
We believe in the importance of free competition
Company is prepared to compete successfully in today’s business environment and will always do so in full compliance with all applicable antitrust, competition and fair dealing laws. Therefore, employees must at all times adhere to the following rules: – Commercial policy and prices will be set independently and will never be agreed, formally or informally, with competitors or other non-related parties, whether directly or indirectly;
– Customers, territories or product markets will never be allocated between SHALINI and its competitors but will always be the result of fair competition;
– Customers and suppliers will be dealt with fairly.
All employees, but especially those who are involved in marketing, sales and purchasing, or who are in regular contact with competitors, have a responsibility to ensure that they are familiar with applicable competition laws. When in doubt, the Legal Function should be contacted in order to provide competition law advice and training.
SECTION 6.
Confidential information
We value and protect our confidential information and we respect the confidential information of others
Confidential information consists of any information that is not or not yet public information. It includes trade secrets, business, marketing and service plans, consumer insights, engineering and manufacturing ideas, product recipes, designs, databases, records, salary information and any non-published financial or other data. SHALINI’s continued success depends on the use of its confidential information and its nondisclosure to third parties. Unless required by law or authorized by their management, employees shall not disclose confidential information or allow such disclosure. This obligation continues beyond the termination of employment. Furthermore, employees must use best efforts to avoid unintentional disclosure by applying special care when storing or transmitting confidential information.
SHALINI respects that third parties have a similar interest in protecting their confidential information. In case that third parties, such as joint venture partners, suppliers or customers, share with SHALINI confidential information, such information shall be treated with the same care as if it was SHALINI’s confidential information. In that same spirit, employees shall protect confidential information that they have obtained in the course of their prior employment.
SECTION 7.
Discrimination and harassment
We embrace diversity and respect the personal dignity of our fellow employees
Company respects the personal dignity, privacy and personal rights of every employee and is committed to maintaining a workplace free from discrimination and harassment. Therefore, employees must not discriminate on the basis of origin, nationality, religion, race, gender, age or sexual orientation, or engage in any kind of verbal or physical harassment based on any of the above or any other reason.
Employees who feel that their workplace does not comply with the above principles are encouraged to raise their concerns with the management
SECTION 8.
Failure to comply
We will consult the Code, comply with its provisions and seek guidance where needed
It is each employee’s responsibility to ensure full compliance with all provisions of this Code and to seek guidance where necessary from their management. To “do the right thing” and to ensure the highest standards of integrity is each employee’s personal responsibility that cannot be delegated.
When in doubt, employees should always be guided by the basic principles stated in the introduction to this Code.
Any failure to comply with this Code may result in disciplinary action, including the possibility of dismissal and, if warranted, legal proceedings or criminal sanctions.
SECTION 9.
Reporting illegal or non-compliant conduct
We take responsibility for ensuring that we all act with integrity in all situations
Employees shall report any practices or actions believed to be inappropriate under this Code or even illegal to their Management. If it is appropriate, in view of the nature of the reported matter, reports of violations may be made directly to higher levels including the Chief Executive Officer and/ or Chief Compliance Officer.
SECTION 10.
Code For Independent Directors
The Code is a guide to professional conduct for independent directors.Adherence to these standards by independent directors and fulfillment oftheir responsibilities in a professional and faithful manner will promoteconfidence of the investment community, particularly minorityshareholders, regulators and companies in the institution of independentdirectors.
I. Guidelines of professional conduct:
An independent director shall:
(1) uphold ethical standards of integrity and probity;
(2) act objectively and constructively while exercising his duties;
(3) exercise his responsibilities in a bona fide manner in the interest of the company;
(4) devote sufficient time and attention to his professional obligations for informed and balanced decision making;
(5) not allow any extraneous considerations that will vitiate his exercise of objective independent judgment in the paramount interest of the company as a whole, while concurring in or dissenting from the collective judgment of the Board in its decision making;
(6) not abuse his position to the detriment of the company or its shareholders or for the purpose of gaining direct or indirect personal advantage or advantage for any associated person;
(7) refrain from any action that would lead to loss of his independence;
(8) where circumstances arise which make an independent director lose his independence, the independent director must immediately inform the Board accordingly;
(9) assist the company in implementing the best corporate governance practices.
II. Role and functions:
The independent directors shall:
(1) help in bringing an independent judgment to bear on the Board’s deliberations specially on issues of strategy, performance, risk management, resources, key appointments and standards of conduct;
(2) bring an objective view in the evaluation of the performance of board and management;
(3) scrutinize the performance of management in meeting agreed goals and objectives and monitor the reporting of performance;
(4) satisfy themselves on the integrity of financial information and that financial controls and the systems of risk management are robust and defensible;
(5) safeguard the interests of all stakeholders, particularly the minority shareholders;
(6) balance the conflicting interest of the stakeholders;
(7) determine appropriate levels of remuneration of executive directors, key managerial personnel and senior management and have a prime role in appointing and where necessary recommend removal of executive directors, key managerial personnel and senior management;
(8) moderate and arbitrate in the interest of the company as a whole, in situations of conflict between management and shareholder’s interest.
III. Duties :
The independent directors shall—
(1) undertake appropriate induction and regularly update and refresh their skills, knowledge and familiarity with the company;
(2) seek appropriate clarification or amplification of information and, where necessary, take and follow appropriate professional advice and opinion of outside experts at the expense of the company;
(3) strive to attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and of the Board committees of which he is a member;
(4) participate constructively and actively in the committees of the Board in which they are chairpersons or members;
(5) strive to attend the general meetings of the company;
(6) where they have concerns about the running of the company or a proposed action, ensure that these are addressed by the Board and, to the extent that they are not resolved, insist that their concerns are recorded in the minutes of the Board meeting;
(7) keep themselves well informed about the company and the external environment in which it operates;
(8) not to unfairly obstruct the functioning of an otherwise proper Board or committee of the Board;
(9) pay sufficient attention and ensure that adequate deliberations are held before approving related party transactions and assure themselves that the same are in the interest of the company;
(10) ascertain and ensure that the company has an adequate and functional vigil mechanism and to ensure that the interests of a person who uses such mechanism are not prejudicially affected on account of such use;
(11) report concerns about unethical behaviour, actual or suspected fraud or violation of the company’s code of conduct or ethics policy;
(12) acting within his authority, assist in protecting the legitimate interests of the company, shareholders and its employees;
(13) not disclose confidential information, including commercial secrets, technologies, advertising and sales promotion plans, unpublished price sensitive information, unless such disclosure is expressly approved by the Board or required by law.
IV. Responsibility
An independent director shall be held liable, only in respect of such acts of omission or commission by a company which had occurred with his knowledge, attributable through Board processes, and with his consent or connivance or where he had not acted diligently with respect of the provisions contained in the Listing Agreement.
V. Manner of appointment:
(1) Appointment process of independent directors shall be independent of the company management; while selecting independent directors the Board shall ensure that there is appropriate balance of skills, experience and knowledge in the Board so as to enable the Board to discharge its functions and duties effectively.
(2) The appointment of independent director(s) of the company shall be approved at the meeting of the shareholders.
(3) The explanatory statement attached to the notice of the meeting for approving the appointment of independent director shall include a statement that in the opinion of the Board, the independent director proposed to be appointed fulfils the conditions specified in the Act and the rules made thereunder and that the proposed director is independent of the management.
(4) The appointment of independent directors shall be formalized through a letter of appointment, which shall set out :
(a) the term of appointment;
(b) the expectation of the Board from the appointed director; the Boardlevel committee(s) in which the director is expected to serve and its tasks;
(c) the fiduciary duties that come with such an appointment along with accompanying liabilities;
(d) provision for Directors and Officers (D and O) insurance, if any;
(e) the Code of Business Ethics that the company expects its directors and employees to follow;
(f) the list of actions that a director should not do while functioning as such in the company; and
(g) the remuneration, mentioning periodic fees, reimbursement of expenses for participation in the Boards and other meetings and profit related commission, if any.
(5) The terms and conditions of appointment of independent directors shall be open for inspection at the registered office of the company by any member during normal business hours.
(6) The terms and conditions of appointment of independent directors shall also be posted on the company’s website.
VI. Re-appointment:
The re-appointment of independent director shall be on the basis of report of performance evaluation.
VII. Resignation or removal:
(1) The resignation or removal of an independent director shall be in the same manner as is provided in sections 168 and 169 of the Act.
(2) An independent director who resigns or is removed from the Board of the company shall be replaced by a new independent director within a period of not more than one hundred and eighty days from the date of such resignation or removal, as the case may be.
(3) Where the company fulfils the requirement of independent directors in its Board even without filling the vacancy created by such resignation or removal, as the case may be, the requirement of replacement by a new independent director shall not apply.
VIII. Separate meetings:
(1) The independent directors of the company shall hold at least one meeting in a year, without the attendance of non-independent directors and members of management;
(2) All the independent directors of the company shall strive to be present at such meeting;
(3) The meeting shall:
(a) review the performance of non-independent directors and the Board as a whole;
(b) review the performance of the Chairperson of the company, taking into account the views of executive directors and non-executive directors;
(c) assess the quality, quantity and timeliness of flow of information between the company management and the Board that is necessary for the Board to effectively and reasonably perform their duties.
SECTION 11.
Evaluation mechanism:
(1) The performance evaluation of independent directors shall be done by the entire Board of Directors, excluding the director being evaluated.
(2) On the basis of the report of performance evaluation, it shall be determined whether to extend or continue the term of appointment of the independent director.