Compliance in Czech Post
The corporate compliance programme against corruption and other forms of misconduct
Czech Post wants to be a successful, but also responsible company and declares that it does not tolerate any behaviour, whether on the side of its employees or persons authorized to act on its behalf, which would violate the law, principles of fair trade and good morals during its operations.
In order to support the implementation of the above-mentioned principles, Czech Post has been carrying out its corporate compliance programme against corruption and other forms of misconduct, which is the basic essential component of the compliance system in Czech Post as well as the systemic tool for the implementation of the departmental internal anti-corruption programme of the Ministry of the Interior.
As part of the programme, Czech Post has been introducing compliance measures designed to protect the company against the occurrence of misconduct including corruption, which could lead to criminal prosecution and possibly conviction of Czech Post under the Corporate Criminal Liability Act or otherwise damage the reputation of the company.
Code of Conduct and the Czech Post's reporting system (Compliance line)
To fulfil its commitment and encourage an environment where the ethical dilemmas are openly discussed, Czech Post has set the principles of desirable and unacceptable conduct in the Code of Conduct of Česká pošta, s.p., (pdf, 726kB) which also includes contacts to the Compliance Line operated by Czech Post´s Compliance team. The employees or other persons (including contractors and other third parties with business or working relations with the Czech Post) can call the operators to report (anonymously, if necessary) any suspicion of an illegal conduct according to the Whistleblower Protection Act or other misconduct, which could result in corporate criminal liability of Czech Post or otherwise damage its reputation. Information regarding the report of misconduct to the Compliance Line is available (pdf, 194kB). Details about the Czech Post's reporting system (Compliance Line) are contained (pdf, 146kB). To report your suspicion via web app use the following link Czech Post´s reporting system.
Ethics Declaration of Czech post
Česká pošta, s.p., as an entity that respects ethical values, is transparent, and has an appropriate compliance management system in place, has received the “Ethical Company” certificate, which is awarded by the Compliance Academy based on an assessment of organisation settings and management with respect to ethical, moral and legal conduct and fulfilment of corporate values. In connection with the certification process, the Director General accepted and the company’s management supported the Ethical Declaration of Czech Post (pdf, 135kB) as an expression of the values and attitudes that Czech Post has been following and continues to adhere to in its activities and honour and respect in relation to internal and external stakeholders. By signing the Ethical Declaration, Mr. Roman Knap, Czech Post’s Director General confirmed the values summarised in this document, whereby he sent a clear signal from the top position. Other members of the company’s management joined in and have supported him by reflecting the values of the declaration in the activities of the departments in their charge.
The “Ethical Company” certification also signalled to the employees within the company that Czech Post has succeeded in the process of verification of how it reflects ethics and compliance in its activities. An equally important signal was also sent towards third, external parties. The certification has confirmed particularly to our business partners and customers that we fulfil our ethical and compliance obligations at a high level; as such, we can reasonably expect our business partners and suppliers to share similar values and approaches.
Contractual clauses
Czech Post also requires its suppliers and other designated legal entities and individuals with whom it enters into trade and other contractual relationships to act correctly. The compliance and anti-corruption clauses that are included in these contracts stipulate that Czech Post requires the above-mentioned entities to behave so as to avoid any reasonable suspicion of having committed or of committing a crime that could be attributed to the contractor or to Czech Post pursuant to the Act No. 418/2011 Coll., on corporate criminal liability and related proceedings, as amended. Alliance partners and selected contractors are additionally bound by a contractual clause to comply with the Code of Ethics of Czech Post in connection with the activities carried out by the partner/contractor under the contract with Czech Post. In case of a breach of these clauses CP will be entitled to withdraw from the agreement.
- Compliance (criminal liability) clause - obligations arising from the Corporate Criminal Liability Act and the Criminal Code
- Anti-corruption clause (pdf, 173kB) - applicable to corruption in general with emphasis on bribery (same wording for legal entities and individuals)
- Ethics clause
Code of Conduct for Czech Post’s Contractors
The Code of Conduct for Czech Post’s Contractors summarises the key values and standards of conduct, respected and observed by Czech Post. Czech Post uses this document to express its expectation that any contractors who win a public contract and other designated external entities (contractual partners whose products or services are sold by Czech Post through its outlets or in any other way) will read and observe this Code of Conduct. The provision about the Code of Conduct for Czech Post’s Contractors is a part of the contractual documentation. The current version of the Code of Conduct for Czech Post’s Contractors, effective from 1 June 2021, is available here (pdf, 260kB).