Code of Conduct

The existence and growth of our company are based on the quality of our products and services. The fulfilment of our customers' quality requirements and proof of this through a certified QM system in accordance with DIN EN ISO9001 are therefore an essential prerequisite for our business success. The customer is at the centre of our efforts. We want to supply our customers with high-quality machinery, products and services with a fair price-performance ratio, offer comprehensive service and provide continuous support. We keep our promises to our customers. We promote confidence-building measures to improve the partnership with our customers. We comply with all legal regulations and standards as well as customer and internal company requirements.

We promote quality awareness among our employees. We are convinced that every employee is responsible for the quality of our products. Quality considerations must be included as planned in all phases of operational performance. Suggestions for improvement and ideas from all levels of the organisation are evaluated and implemented. We promote cooperation at all organisational levels by motivating all employees, providing training and constantly improving the exchange of information. Measures to reduce costs must not be at the expense of quality. We minimise costs by avoiding errors and ensuring that all internal processes run smoothly.

All employees are obliged to apply the procedures described in the documentation and associated documents. Legal and official regulations must be complied with. The management system is regularly reviewed with regard to completeness, effectiveness and application. In order to achieve continuous improvement, all employees are encouraged to actively participate in the system and suggest improvements. We see mistakes as an opportunity for improvement.

The goal is the continuous improvement of our company at all levels. This enables us to pursue and improve existing goals and to recognise and set new goals. All employees must orientate their professional activities towards this goal. The achievement of objectives is monitored by the management through regular reviews of compliance and effectiveness.

Ensuring safety, health and environmental protection and minimising risks to our employees and third parties that could lead to personal injury, occupational illness, work-related health hazards, damage, destruction of property or environmental damage is a prerequisite for the performance of all our business activities. Every accident or environmental damage is one too many. The SMB Group considers these objectives to be of equal importance. We want to emphasise this claim with this code of conduct on occupational health and safety and environmental protection. The health and safety of our employees is a corporate objective of equal importance alongside product quality and economic success.

The following guidelines have been developed to achieve this goal:

• To recognise and counteract occupational illnesses at an early stage, including through regular medical monitoring of all employees.
• Accident prevention and health protection maintain and strengthen the performance and motivation of our employees and thus make a significant contribution to our competitiveness.
• Occupational health and safety is part of the management task. However, it is equally the duty of all employees to contribute to achieving the objectives of occupational health and safety within the scope of their own responsibility.
• Occupational health and safety and economic activity are not mutually exclusive.

The management and employees agree that the objectives of occupational health and safety, including the humane organisation of work, must be pursued jointly. Our managers create an environment that promotes responsibility and competence for quality, occupational safety and health protection at work. Care is taken to maintain a continuous improvement process for the operational management systems.

SMB International GmbH, MBA Instruments GmbH and SMB Service GmbH often undertake to customers to keep mutually disclosed internal customer information or findings internal. They are often expressly requested to prevent the utilisation of this information by third parties. This applies in particular to data relating to conversations. All employees and staff are obliged to maintain confidentiality, unless they are already required to do so under their employment contract. In general, however, all customer information, especially in the same or similar customer groups, is subject to confidentiality. This does not apply to information that has already been published or is in the public domain. If an employee is unable to categorise a document precisely in this respect, they must inform their immediate superior or higher-ranking persons immediately.

The management expressly condemns corruption of any kind and undertakes to combat and prevent it within its own company by all means. This applies not only to the bribery of external persons, groups and nations, but also to company employees who may be the perpetrators and targets of bribery. Benefits for individuals are only permitted if they are authorised. This means that the benefit must be appropriate, transparent and authorised by the respective superior.

SMB International GmbH and MBA Instruments GmbH do not participate in any activities related to money laundering. We ensure that we comply with local legal requirements and laws. This also includes compliance with reporting obligations for transactions with foreign currencies. One of our main concerns is to only do business with customers and business partners who pursue legitimate business purposes and therefore only use funds from legitimate sources. If we become aware of money laundering offences, we report them to the relevant authorities and immediately distance ourselves from the institution or person concerned.