We Do What's Right
A Message from our Chair and Chief Executive Officer
Dear Colleague:
Empower people to snack right. It's our purpose, and it drives us every day.
Our three values work hand in hand to shape our culture and guide our actions and decisions. Love Our Consumers and Brands. Grow Every Day. Do What's Right.
To sustain the legacy of trust in our company and our brands, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to do business in a lawful and responsible manner.
Each of us has a responsibility to do what's right by following legal requirements and respecting our consumers, our customers, our business partners and our fellow employees. It may seem like second nature, but it takes a conscious effort and a strong commitment by each of us to always do what's right.
The principles embodied in our Code of Conduct guide us to do what's right anywhere we do business and set out our integrity commitment to our stakeholders.
Our Code of Conduct continues to focus on relevant areas of importance for our business and provides examples related to the expectations of all of us as employees of Mondelēz International.
Please take these 10 Guiding Principles to heart and live them every day. Speak up if you have concerns or see something that seems wrong. Ask for guidance if you are not certain or have questions.
Sincerely,
Dirk Van de Put
Chair and Chief Executive Officer
The Reason We Have a Code
What makes Mondelēz International the biggest snacking company in the world is not only our iconic brands and products, but also the trust we have built with our stakeholders. This trust is maintained by the integrity of our everyday actions, doing things the right way.
Our Code of Conduct contains 10 overarching principles to guide us to live our values in the right way. We must use all these important principles to guide our decisions as we do business. They provide us with the guardrails for our strategies, give us the support system for our company values, and enable us to achieve success in the right way.
We love our consumers and brands – we will not intentionally mislead consumers in labeling or advertising, and we will make food that is safe to eat. We grow every day – we will compete fairly. We do what's right – we treat people fairly, we practice social and environmental responsibility, and we deal honestly with the government. When gaining a business advantage means ignoring our values or violating our guiding principles, we won't do it!
We will adhere to these guiding principles, which are cornerstones of our business. People leaders are responsible for leading by example and reinforcing the principles of our Code at every level of our workforce. Failure to comply with this Code and related policies can result in penalties, fines, reputational harm and other significant consequences for Mondelēz and for the individuals involved.
By following this Code, we will sustain our culture of integrity in Mondelēz, which should make us each proud to work here.
Our Values
Love Our Consumers and Brands
Grow Every Day
Do What's Right
This Code guides us to…
- Understand what Mondelēz expects from us.
- Comply with the policies and legal requirements that apply to our work.
- Obtain guidance if we have questions.
We all do our part:
Live the Code
Be familiar with our Code and policies applicable to you.
Promote a culture of integrity
Be an example of integrity by making ethical decisions. No business result should be more important than our values and reputation.
Learning is key
Complete required training on time and ensure your team does the same.
Ask questions
Seek help to resolve and escalate issues to the Ethics & Compliance Office as they arise.
As a manager, foster an open environment
Your team members should feel comfortable to ask you questions or voice their concerns and opinions without a fear of retaliation.
To Whom Does the Code of Conduct Apply?
Our Code of Conduct applies to all our employees worldwide, regardless of location, role or level of seniority. We also expect temporary and contract employees, consultants, agents and any other third party who acts on behalf of Mondelēz to follow the principles of the Code.
Every subsidiary and joint venture the company controls must adopt and comply with the Code. Where we participate in but do not control a joint venture relationship, we will encourage our partners to meet the requirements of the Code.
The members of the Board of Directors must follow the Code of Business Ethics and Conduct for Non-Employee Directors, which has similar principles to those in this Code of Conduct, but tailored specifically for corporate governance purposes.
We also expect our third-party business partners and suppliers to adhere to the business principles set forth in our Supplier & Partner Code of Conduct, which encompass the principles of the Code.
Making Right Decisions
Not Sure What Way to Follow?
If the right thing to do is not clear, ask yourself:
Is it consistent with our Code, policies and laws?
Am I acting in the best interests of the company?
Would I be comfortable if my actions were made public?
Will it protect Mondelēz's reputation as an ethical company?
If you answered "no" or even "maybe" to any of these questions, you should stop and get advice or ask questions, via any of these resources:
Your manager or your manager's manager
Ethics & Compliance Office
Compliance Line
Human Resources
Legal
Where to Get Help
Your Manager (or your manager's manager) is generally your go-to person when you're not sure which way to follow. But if you prefer not to speak with your manager or are uncomfortable speaking with your manager, or if you have already shared a concern and feel it's not being addressed appropriately, you may contact Ethics & Compliance Office directly or use our Compliance Line to submit an inquiry or report a concern.
You may also reach out to a Mondelēz supporting function, such as your point of contact with Human Resources or Legal. External stakeholders should contact our Compliance Line with questions related to this Code.
Raising a Concern
No set of principles could address every issue we may face at work. So, if you ever feel that the Code of Conduct doesn't clearly address a particular situation, you should simply remember our mission: "Snacks… made the right way."
If still not clear, we encourage our employees to ask questions or speak up.
If you notice something about to go wrong at Mondelēz, you may address the issue directly and try to stop it. But when something has already gone wrong, and you think someone may have violated the law, this Code or a Compliance Policy, you must let the Ethics & Compliance Office know immediately, so the company can act quickly. Our Speaking Up policy requires it.
In case you prefer, you can also report a concern anonymously. Just call our toll-free Compliance Line or visit our webpage at mdlzethics.com. A third-party representative will receive your concerns and inform the right people in our Ethics & Compliance Office.
Violations of the Code and/or a Compliance Policy will result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Mondelēz takes all allegations of misconduct or other wrongdoing seriously and will investigate them. We will protect and support anyone who reports misconduct or unethical behavior in good faith, including employees and other stakeholders. We adhere to whistleblower protection laws to ensure a safe reporting environment.
When we follow our guiding principles, ask questions if we're not sure and report concerns, we are helping our company succeed. We are living our values and building trust. That's "Snacking Made Right." And it's our way of doing business the right way – with integrity.
What happens when I call the Mondelēz Compliance Line?
- You can reach out to our Compliance Line 24/7 to report a concern, disclose a potential conflict of interest or raise an inquiry. Any report you make will be kept confidential to the extent possible consistent with applicable law and good business practices.
- Your concern is received by an independent party. At the end of the call, you receive a report ID number that you can use to check on the status of your matter or provide additional relevant information.
- The Mondelēz Ethics & Compliance Office is notified and your case is assigned to an appropriate resource who ensures that the incident is investigated in a timely and efficient manner.
- Appropriate action is taken to remediate the matter. If the company confirms that misconduct has occurred, we address the situation appropriately, including the issuance of corrective or disciplinary action as appropriate.
- How long does it take? It depends on the complexity of the case. While investigations are normally initiated promptly, in some cases, timing depends on how much additional information needs to be gathered.