Compliance, Ethics and our Policies
House of HR complies with the highest standards when it comes to ethics, data policy and societal and environmental responsibilities. Taking up our accountability is both a matter of rules and conduct.
We comply with all regulations existing for large and listed companies such as rules on data privacy.
Our conduct should reflect our ethical, societal and environmental ambitions. As our business in essence is a people’s business, it goes without saying that a strong Code of Conduct, business ethics and integrity when it comes to leading our holding, is a quintessential element of our governance.
An important element of our compliance and ethics policy deals with risk management. House of HR has a series of risk policies and standards dealing with elements such as conflict of interest, major incident policy and whistle blowing policy.
In addition to House of HR’s compliance and ethics rules, every single operating company is responsible for their own policies relating to their sector and local legislation.
Want to learn everything about our compliance and ethics policies? Dive into them by clicking these links:
Group Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Policy
At House of HR, we strongly believe that a diverse work environment and an inclusive culture contribute to the sense of belonging we all need to thrive. Inclusive cultures make people feel respected and valued for who they are.
The purpose of this policy is to set out the structures, responsibilities and processes established at House of HR to achieve a diverse and open workplace, free from discrimination of any kind. By embracing our people's differences and acting with an open attitude, we build trust and encourage growth and innovation, contributing to the well-being of all.
Group Code of Conduct & Ethics
All House of HR representatives, our happy rebels, strongly believe our business has a responsibility to be a positive contributor to societal change.
With the Code of Conduct and Ethics, we outline the corporate values and principles in our professional and personal behaviour and commit to fulfil our mission in an ethical manner. House of HR has developed a Group Code of Conduct which has been undersigned and adopted by all PowerHouses and Boutiques. The document is available to every Happy Rebel in their own language.
Group Anti-Violence & Harassment Policy
While the Code of Conduct sets out our acceptable business practices and standards which are aligned with our corporate values and principles, we find it utterly important to go more into detail in areas where the health and safety of our Happy rebels is involved. In this matter, we cannot stress enough the importance of having a clear framework explaining the initiatives put in place to guarantee the well-being of everyone, and this for the whole Group.
With this Anti-Violence & Harassment Policy we aim in the first place to prevent unwanted incidents from happening. Our people need to be able to work in an environment completely free from any harmful behavior, being it physical, psychological and/or sexual. The document clearly explains and defines the principles.
Whistleblowing Policy
Our whistleblowing policy is a set of guidelines and procedures established to encourage and protect individuals who report suspected wrongdoing, misconduct, or unethical behavior within the organization. It provides a formal framework for Happy Rebels, stakeholders, and other parties to raise concerns about potential violations of laws, regulations, company policies, or ethical standards.
Having a whistleblowing policy is crucial. It promotes transparency and accountability within the group by providing a mechanism for reporting and addressing misconduct. It ensures that Happy Rebels feel empowered and safe to speak up when they witness wrongdoing, fostering a culture of integrity and ethical behavior.
Also, this whistleblowing policy helps to identify and address potential risks, breaches, or illegal activities at an early stage, before they escalate into more significant problems. It allows the company to investigate and take appropriate corrective actions, mitigating potential damage to its reputation, financial stability, and legal compliance.
This policy demonstrates our commitment to ethical conduct, compliance, and responsible business practices. It helps to build trust among Happy Rebels, stakeholders, customers, and the public by showing that the company takes concerns and allegations seriously and is dedicated to addressing them in a fair and impartial manner.
By establishing clear channels for reporting and protecting whistleblowers from retaliation, we create an environment where employees feel comfortable reporting concerns without fear of negative consequences. This encourages a culture of openness, accountability, and continuous improvement, ultimately contributing to the long-term success and sustainability of House of HR.
One step further and for every PowerHouse we organize ways for people to report on any type of unwanted behavior taking place in their professional environment. Because of the sensitivity of these matters, we also need to give them the possibility to report events anonymously. Therefore we implemented two channels in every PowerHouse.
Every PowerHouse has one or more dedicated Trust Persons who are trained and supported to take up this role in the best possible way.
We launched an online reporting tool accessible by scanning a simple QR Code where all Happy Rebels can report anonymously. This QR code is made available throughout our offices group wide, online and offline.
Finally an E-learning course on this topic has been created in 4 languages. This course is available to all Powerhouses and Boutiques and is embedded in onboarding schemes and/or learning programs for all Happy Rebels and consultants.
Anti-money laundering policy
At House of HR, we’re fully committed to following all the laws against money laundering in Europe and around the world. Our Anti-Money Laundering policy lays out clear rules and steps to stop financial crimes and applies to all individuals working at all levels and grades.
What the policy says? We don't accept cash for payments. Before we accept any payments, we check to make sure they match the invoices we've issued. We always verify our bank account details before any transactions. We make sure there's a contract in place before we start any work with a company or freelancer. We train our staff, so they understand the risks of money laundering and know how to follow our policy.
We also have other policies in place, such as those against bribery and corruption, that support our efforts to prevent money laundering. And if we see anything suspicious, we'll have it checked out by an impartial internal or external party.
Anti-corruption & bribery policy
House of HR takes a zero-tolerance approach to bribery and corruption, and we expect our clients and suppliers to adhere to the same high standards. Prior to entering a business relationship, we conduct due diligence on our clients and suppliers to ensure alignment with our values and ethical standards.
Our anti-corruption efforts are integral to the Governance pillar of our ESG strategy, contributing to ethical behavior, legal compliance, risk mitigation, long-term sustainability, stakeholder relations and operational efficiency. We prohibit all forms of corruption, extortion, and bribery, including but not limited to the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any undue advantage, whether directly or indirectly, in any business transaction. For more detailed guidelines on the different aspects, check out the document below
Data Protection Policy and Security
House of HR takes its responsibility as safeguard of personal data very serious. IT risks are abundant and increasing. The risks of cyber-attacks, phishing, data fraud or theft, privacy and data protection could lead to serious operational disruption, reputational damage and legal penalties.
To protect the Group against those threats, the implementation of a global information security strategy, with a strong visibility on all components of the IT environment is a key priority.
Through a stronger security posture at Group level by further fine tuning the detection capabilities, aligning the defense strategy, and adding additional structural resilience capabilities to the companies’ platforms, this enables us to guarantee information security, data protection and compliance for all our core systems.