PROACTIVETUR BUSINESS ETHICS CODE
Values that guide us
I. Introduction
Proactivetur was founded in 2010 with the aim of promoting responsible tourism in the Algarve and South Alentejo, defending and preserving the environmental, social and cultural values of this region. We are a small company with five employees (one of whom is the managing partner) who work in the fields of tourist entertainment, travel agency and consultancy. Over the years, we have been expanding and consolidating the network of local agents with whom we actively collaborate, including small hotels, rural houses, restaurants, taxi drivers, artisans, farmers, shepherds, agri-food producers, artists and other people who keep these regions alive. We support environmental and cultural causes, and collaborate with various sustainable development non-governmental organizations, such as Associação Almargem or Rota Vicentina, and higher education organizations such as the University of the Algarve. Our aim is always to leave something positive in the area.
In the same way that we guide our clients in discovering the region with total respect for its natural and cultural values, we are also guided by the key principles of Sustainability, in terms of its inherent dimensions: social, environmental and governance.
This Code of Ethics and Conduct (hereinafter referred to as the “Code”) establishes a set of principles, rules and values that govern the internal and external relations of Proactivetur Unipessoal Lda. with a view to sharing and promoting an ethical culture in the organization and in its actions. The aims of this Code are essentially to:
Clarify for employees the rules of conduct they must apply in their decisions, behavior and attitudes
To help create a healthy and fair working environment
Facilitate the resolution of problems and conflicts by standardizing the organization's criteria
Ensure that the company's operations are always aligned with the highest ethical standards
Clarify responsibilities, rights and obligations, fostering understanding and trust in the organization.
II. Mission, vision and values
Our Vision
We want to be recognized as the benchmark for responsible tourism in the Algarve, with a positive impact on the territory, offering quality activities and the best conduct in environmental and cultural sustainability.
Our Mission
To provide the best and most responsible tourism experiences in the Algarve for the international market, with a strong connection to the natural, cultural and social values of the territory.
Values
We act guided by the values of responsibility, commitment, honesty and ethics.
III. Scope of the code
This Code applies to all stakeholders of Proactivetur Unipessoal Lda. namely the governing bodies, employees (regardless of the contracting regime) and third parties who contract with Proactivetur, or act on its behalf, namely suppliers and partners.
IV. Ethical principles and commitments
General conduct principles
In carrying out their activities, Proactivetur's employees must act with a view to pursuing the company's interests and with respect for the principles of legality, good faith, responsibility, transparency, loyalty, integrity, urbanism, professionalism and confidentiality, taking into account the company's mission and the social, environmental, governance and safety policies in force.
These principles must be observed in relations with clients, suppliers, service providers, the media, partner organizations, the general public and in internal relations between Proactivetur employees.
Internal environment
Each member of Proactivetur's staff must:
Contribute to promoting a good working environment and interpersonal relationships
Maintain a healthy team spirit by sharing knowledge and information
Perform their duties responsibly and with professional pride, seeking to keep up to date in the areas relevant to their work
Comply with applicable legislation and internal rules
Harassment
Harassment in any of its manifestations is expressly prohibited
Harassment is unwanted behavior, in particular based on discrimination, practiced when accessing work or vocational training, with the aim or effect of disturbing or embarrassing the person, affecting their dignity, or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or destabilizing environment.
Competition
Proactivetur will observe market rules, promoting fair competition and avoiding the adoption of any practice that restricts competition.
Confidentiality
Any and all information obtained in the service of Proactivetur may only be used by its employees in the performance of their duties, and employees may not disclose confidential information regarding Proactivetur, its employees and stakeholders without the company's express prior authorization
Within the scope of this Code, confidentiality covers, in particular, business secrets, customer, supplier and employee information, costs and prices, IT structures, commercial and production strategies and financial data
Unless they are mandated to do so, people who work for Proactivetur must refrain from making public statements, particularly when they could jeopardize the company's image, especially by using the media.
Proactivetur will guarantee the confidentiality and privacy of third-party data to which it has access, except in the case of legal, administrative or judicial obligations which entail the obligation to hand it over to entities or persons or to make it public.
Conflict of interests
It is essential that the activities of Proactivetur's employees do not create a conflict between their private interests and the interests of the company, so they should not engage privately in activities that compete with those of the company.
Legal compliance
Proactivetur must respect and ensure scrupulous compliance with the legal and regulatory standards applicable to its activities.
Persons working for Proactivetur must not, on behalf of the company and within the scope of their activity, violate the general law and specific applicable regulations.
Defending and Respecting Human Rights
Proactivetur is firmly committed to defending human rights, within the framework of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and other instruments applicable at any given time.
In addition to not participating in activities that violate human rights, Proactivetur does not accept suppliers or other stakeholders in its value chain whose practices conflict with these rights.
Diligence and responsibility
The people who work for Proactivetur must always fulfill the duties and responsibilities assigned to them in the course of their duties with zeal, efficiency and responsibility.
The performance of Proactivetur's employees shall be assessed on the basis of merit and the results achieved in the performance of their duties, taking into account the fulfillment of their duties.
Employees' rights and protection
Proactivetur is committed to promoting the best working conditions in line with its activity and business model. It is committed to
Adopting a hiring model based on permanent, full-time and long-term employment contracts
Pay employees fairly, providing salaries and benefits in accordance with national legislation, above the National Minimum Income
Respect the legal rules regarding vacations, holidays, absences, leaves of absence and leave, especially those related to maternity and paternity.
Facilitating measures that allow for a balance between personal/family and professional life, such as teleworking and compensatory time banking.
Fraud and corruption
No Proactivetur employee may accept benefits of any kind, directly or indirectly, for themselves or for third parties, which could influence their attitude in the performance of their duties.
The company expects its employees to act with honesty, transparency and integrity and repudiates their involvement in irregular or fraudulent acts.
Equality, diversity and non-discrimination
Equality is a principle enshrined in the Constitution which aims to recognize all people as subjects of equal dignity and which Proactivetur defends unconditionally.
The company is committed to promoting fair treatment and equal opportunities for work and progression, without discrimination of any kind.
Proactivetur does not tolerate any abusive, hostile or offensive conduct, whether verbal or physical, which could negatively affect the dignity of employees and other stakeholders.
Everyone who works for the company is expected to adopt a practice in line with these principles, which means:
Opposing any form of discrimination, whether in internal or external relations, on the grounds of age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion or beliefs, ethnicity, language, education, economic situation, social, physical or mental condition, or any other discriminatory factor
Provide services without discrimination of any kind and without personal preferences or interests
Differentiate between personal convictions and professional obligations.
Environmental impact and sustainability principles
In carrying out its mission and in line with its values, Proactivetur undertakes to respect the three pillars of Sustainability: Environmental, Social and Governance and, within its sphere of intervention, to actively pursue the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) approved by the United Nations.
Proactivetur promotes the continuous improvement of its Environmental Policy and respective Good Practices in terms of Sustainability, in order to cause the least possible impact on the environment, encouraging - through the training and sensitization of its employees - greater environmental awareness.
The people who work with Proactivetur are expected to take an active part in environmental preservation, waste management and energy efficiency policies, as well as in social responsibility initiatives promoted in the community.
Relationships with suppliers
The people who work for Proactivetur must act in such a way as to allow commitments to suppliers to be honored and demand that they comply with their obligations, as well as observing the good practices and rules underlying the activity in question, taking into account the normal functioning of the market.
The contracts to be concluded with the company must clearly stipulate the rights and obligations of the parties and comply with the applicable rules.
Suppliers must be chosen on the basis of impartial and transparent criteria, without granting privileges or favors of any kind and avoiding situations of exclusivity whenever possible.
The selection of suppliers and service providers, in addition to the relevance and quality of the products/services, must also take into account the ethical behavior of the supplier, namely compliance with this Code of Conduct.
Members of the Proactivetur team must make suppliers and service providers aware of the need to comply with ethical principles in line with those promoted in this Code of Conduct.
Relationship with clients
Proactivetur must ensure equal treatment and non-discrimination for all customers.
Proactivetur's managers and employees must provide a quality service, acting efficiently, diligently and neutrally.
In their dealings with customers, Proactivetur employees must maintain appropriate standards of propriety, urbanity and friendliness.
Internal and external guides must comply with the document Standards of Conduct and Professionalism for Guides.
Relations with the Community, the Environment and Partners
Proactivetur must adopt a socially responsible attitude within the community and towards public opinion, the market and partners.
Health & safety
Proactivetur seeks to provide its employees with a safe working environment that promotes their well-being and productivity, adopting a set of measures that it considers to be the most appropriate. Its employees are committed to complying with the rules in force in terms of occupational health and safety.
Using the organization's resources
Proactivetur's managers and employees must ensure the protection, conservation and rationalization of material, technological and financial resources, as well as their proper and correct use, in accordance with the activities for which they are needed, not using them, directly or indirectly, for their own personal benefit or that of third parties unless expressly authorized by the manager.
People who work for the company must keep and update records of expenses incurred in the course of their professional activity in order to ensure the correct reimbursement of expenses incurred.
The use of the company car must be exclusively for professional purposes, with the itinerary and number of kilometers covered recorded on a specific map. Employees must ensure that the vehicle is used properly and that it is kept in a clean and tidy condition. The fuel level of the company car must be restored on arrival (at the half tank mark).
Data protection
Proactivetur assumes the protection of the personal data of its employees and other stakeholders, promoting a set of measures to guarantee the total security and confidentiality of the data, under the legal terms in force.
V. Non-compliance
Infringements can lead to educational and training measures, a review of procedures or, if the legal conditions are met, to disciplinary or criminal liability. The decision will be taken according to the seriousness and recurrence of the infraction.
VI. Monitoring, recording and handling complaints
It is the responsibility of the Board of Directors (in this case the managing partner of Proactivetur), in an independent and impartial manner, to:
Approve this Code
Propose changes to this Code whenever they are relevant
Promoting the dissemination of this Code of Conduct to all those to whom it is addressed, ensuring, as far as possible, that its content is understood;
Receiving reports of alleged breaches of this Code, carrying out preliminary investigations
Ensure that the internal mechanisms for reporting infringements comply with the applicable legislation, particularly with regard to confidentiality, the processing of information and the absence of reprisals against participants;
Issue clarifications on the interpretation of the rules set out in this Code
Assess the seriousness of the situations reported and decide on the measures to be adopted.
Reports of occurrences and complaints should be addressed to the Board of Directors (in this case the managing partner of Proactivetur), by email: mail@proactivetur.pt or by letter to Proactivetur, Unipessoal, Lda., Rua da Escola Primária, Caixa Postal 1432-A, 8100-129 Querença. Complainants may choose to identify themselves or do so anonymously.
VII. Coming into effect and dissemination
This Code comes into effect on January 1, 2024. Proactivetur promotes the appropriate dissemination of this Code, in order to consolidate the application of the principles contained herein, via email, intranet and company website. This Code will be reviewed and updated periodically and will take into account the suggestions and proposals made by employees, as well as the commitments made by Proactivetur in Environmental, Social and Governance matters.