Matrix Pack S.A. top management has assigned a designated person as Social Responsibility Officer.
Responsibilities and Duties
The Social Responsibility Officer will provide oversight of the Corporation's operations and programs regarding corporate social responsibility governance and reporting and will also engage in discussions regarding the Corporation’s operations and initiatives that can create a positive or negative impact from a social responsibility perspective.
The Social Responsibility Officer will review and assess the adequacy of this policy annually and recommend changes to the top management when necessary.
Green Touch, Green Life
Looking forward to the global market, Matrix Pack S.A. will focus on innovative technology that enriches human lives and improves quality of life. Product design, procurement, production, sale, service, resource recovery processes will all be conducted using green methods to achieve the “toxin‐free, low‐energy‐consumption, easily‐disassembled, recyclable, compostable” standard of product design and manufacturing. Eco products and low‐carbon emissions will be used to put the ideas of caring for the Earth, environmental protection and sustainable development into practice.
Stakeholders Communication
Matrix Pack S.A. pay much attention to basic rights of stakeholders and realizes that the interaction between stakeholders is an important part of the company’s operation, so to understand completely the stakeholders' ideas and needs by different ways of communication with collected feedback information, then respond the collected results on the business operations for improvement to meet the needs and expectations of stakeholders and sustainable development of Matrix Pack S.A. It is our duty and responsibility to make the best responses for stakeholder concerned issues.
LAWS
Matrix Pack S.A. complied with the requirements of world‐wide environmental laws and regulations and formulated environmental management policies to produce green products, introduced green environmentally friendly design concepts in product development stages, prohibited the use of hazardous chemical substances, and added factors of energy saving, low harmful and easy recycling to ensure health and safety of environments.
EQUALITY
Matrix Pack S.A. has implemented its Code of Business Conduct to ensure that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, gender, disability, pregnancy, beliefs, political affiliations, or marital status against employees in employment and work, and everyone has the right of equal safeguarding without any discrimination.
SUSTAINABILITY
Matrix Pack is committed to ethical corporate citizenship and to promoting sustainability in all of its activities. We demonstrate these commitments through transparent and responsible management of our social, environmental, and economic values.
RESPONSIBLE PRODUCTION
Matrix Pack S.A. put into practices of adherence to the customer first, the products certificated specifications like as safety, hazardous substances management, energy efficiency …etc. are not only in conformity with the requirements of the world environmental conventions, but also comply with the relevant requirements and regulations of various countries and pass the required testing and certification acquisition. They follow the principles of product integrity and disclosure from international market marketing regulations. We reduce the use of chemicals and hazardous substances in the life cycle management of products, and use the methods of prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse to significantly reduce waste generation.
CLIMATE ACTION
Matrix Pack S.A. conducted the prudent assessments and practices in face of the risks and opportunities arose from the extreme weathers, implemented greenhouse gas reductions in business operations and improved the energy efficiency of products, to strengthen the ability to respond to the climate changes and dedicate to reach the targets of carbon reduction requirements from international NGOs, world‐wide governments and customers.
CODES OF CONDUCT
Corporate Codes of Conduct
In order to deepen the corporate image of integrity, Matrix Pack S.A. carried through the honest and credible corporate culture to encourage employee’s engagement service for integrity maintenance. Since 2018, Matrix Pack S.A. also provides bi‐monthly, employee training courses to propagandize continuously for all staffs. The anti‐corruption course is included in factory yearly education and training courses.
Anti‐Corruption & Fair Trade
Matrix Pack S.A. strictly prohibits any corruption, monopoly, bribery, extortion and other acts in daily operation. The staff manual and company standards in factory also involve criteria associated with anti‐corruption for relevant education and training courses to ensure each employee is aware of the conventions and rules clearly. The factory also has internal mechanisms of anonymous prosecution and related rewards and penalties bulletin to encourage corruption criminal prosecution, and the relevant departments will audit that state from time to time to let internal and external colleagues and external vendors to achieve compliance for management purposes with good business principle of good faith. Anti‐monopoly practices are as follows: 1. Do not agree to anything that would lessen competition or to discuss the arrangements. 2. Do not seek to competitors or to obtain commercially sensitive information. 3. Except for there are specific legal reasons, do not attend meetings with competitors or to communicate. 4. Not to engage in collective boycotts, bid‐rigging, price‐fixing or market segmentation and other actions.
Business Code of Conduct
Matrix Pack S.A. derived Business Code of Conduct "self‐audit” in factory in response to customer needs and international trends; to ensure safe working environment, protect and respect employees' rights, implement pollution prevention in products and process, and fulfill social responsibilities
Protect Customers' Privacy & Deployment of Intellectual Property Rights
Setup legal department to pay much attention on all laws and regulations for compliance, it does not only assist staff to clarify legal doubts but also to communicate internal corporate business ethics, corporate governance, employee ethics and moral ethics in corporate continuously. In order to protect customer privacy and company secrets, Matrix Pack S.A. IT department designed one documents control system and formulated secret‐keeping policy for monitoring its records system to prevent confidential documents from reveal. Matrix Pack S.A also pay much attention on intellectual property rights, not only actively involved computer‐related technology research and development in future to avoid infringing the intellectual property of others and to make use of own patents and licenses for value‐added, but also planned progressively to look forward to intellectual property income could becoming another source of future revenue for Matrix Pack S.A. Matrix Pack S.A respects for intellectual property rights ideas all the time.
Green Commitment
Matrix Pack S.A upholds its commitment to sustainable enterprise development – The green environmental concept is incorporated throughout the company to meet customer needs, protect the environment and to ensure survival and development. Matrix Pack S.A is a leading provider of compostable and biodegradable straws, lids. It has fully adopted the “green product” concept via flawless product quality, implements Reuse, Recycle and Recovery procedures to comply with the EU Waste directive. Chooses “Non‐toxic” green components and parts to comply with RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) standards. Uses “Energy‐saving,” and an “Eco‐Profile” enhancing the sustainable development of the planet.
Supply Chain Management
Matrix Pack S.A evaluates supply chain supplier every year to examine the requirements of each international green regulation, achieve the level of a green supplier by offering green components and to form a green supply chain system. Matrix Pack S.A and representatives from different suppliers agreed to create green products and concluded as a goal, develop green production, supply green products, construct a green supply chain and increase green competition to create sustainable business opportunities. Matrix Pack S.A ensures all products comply with the requirements of relevant environmental directives. We require a REACH declaration among all safety declarations from each supplier.
- Supplier Education
Matrix Pack S.A. future projects will be to compile a written review or an on‐site evaluation and education to ensure that green suppliers have efficient management.
- Green Procurement Management
Matrix Pack S.A delivers the documents about green purchasing requirements and green supplier management along with the order through the purchasing system to the supplier.
- Supplier Rating
Any supplier who obtains the relevant environmentally friendly or hazardous material management certificate (ISO 14001, FSC CoC, etc.), is highly recognized.
Human Rights and Anti‐Discrimination
Matrix Pack S.A. complies with the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights in that it does not discriminate against its employees regardless of race, gender, political affiliation, religious beliefs, disabilities, pregnancies, participation in social organizations or marital status. Hiring practices respect local regulations regarding minimum age requirements, local decrees, RBA (EICC) and other relevant regulations, advocates a comprehensive freely chosen employment, legal employment, respect for human rights, fair and just” labor ethics policy.
- Freely chosen employment
－ Does not use forced, bonded or bound by contract labor.
－ Ensure that staff employment conditions are voluntary.
－ Employee retains the right to leave under notice in accordance with the law.
－ Ensure that employee ID cards or related documents are not used as collateral.
- Child labor avoidance
Compliance with local laws and regulations for minimum age requirements to ensure that no child labor is used.
- Working Hours
－ Provide paid leave for employees every year.
－ Do not force employees to work more than the maximum working hours dictated by local law
- Wages and benefits
Comply with applicable wage laws, including minimum wage requirements by local governments, and issue salaries in a timely manner.
- Freedom of association
－ Respect the rights of employees and allow them to participate in social organizations.
－ Set up an “Employee Suggestion Box” and hold regular staff meetings so that employees may communicate with the management division without worry about retaliation, threats or harassment.
- Humane treatment
Prohibit the cruel or inhumane treatment of employees, including any form of harassment, physical punishment or threats of such acts.
- Non‐Discrimination
Ensure that employees are not discriminated against because of race, color, age, gender, disability, pregnancy, religion, political affiliation or marital status during appointment or work procedures (e.g. promotions, salary adjustments, rewards, education and training, etc.) Every person has the right to equal protection against any form of discrimination.
- No Improper Advantages
－ Respect the code of ethics and prohibit any form of corruption, acceptance of bribes and other forms of improper profiting behavior.
－ Full promotion of a “Report Reward System” to encourage staff to expose any form of improper profiting behavior.
- Protection of identity
Establish procedures to prevent the leakage of employee information and protect the confidentiality of employees making suggestions or reporting offenses.
- Health and Safety, Staff Training and Self‐Development
－ Provide employees with a mutual trust and a respectful, healthy and safe environment.
－ Provide facilities, training programs, time and subsidies to support employee career development.
Employees Welfare
Employees and Community Activities:
Organize events and rest activities to enrich employee’s life, knowledge and spiritual growth of all.
Employees Education and Training
Matrix Pack S.A. strongly believes that talented staff is the most precious resource. In order to enhance staff knowledge and abilities has established a wide range of education and training programs. Matrix Pack S.A. also respects the self‐development needs of colleagues and focuses on manpower training and development and commits to improving the quality of its labor force and strengthening its base‐level management skills. Our HR team introduces cooperative function systems, active distribution of training on all levels and a reserve of human resources. According to the company's vision and development strategy, Matrix Pack S.A. staffs training system is composed of recruits training and professional training programs. The benefit of adoption of the college system is to avoid repetitive classes, able to catch academic training subjects planning, and transparent learning effects accumulatively.
Health, Safety and Zero‐Accident
Developing safety operation management on the factory‐side, Matrix Pack S.A. guide, support and educate staff accordingly. Internally, the administration team provides the factory employees with information about potential hazards during their work and basic knowledge about prevention and response measures that prevents also from disasters and environmental pollution in the workplace.
－ To ensure the safe operation of equipment, every work must be checked in advance in addition to regular inspections and general inspections of various ranges.
－ These inspections also ensure that faulty machinery does not result in injuries or death of personnel when it is used.
－ In addition to routine in‐house inspection and maintenance, legal, professional bodies must be regularly commissioned to implement overall equipment testing, maintenance and reporting.
－ This will strengthen the working principles and safety regulation training of personnel and prevent operation in violation of regulation.
－ Ensure quick and effective measures can be taken to control the situation in case fires, natural disasters or other accidents occur, Matrix Pack S.A. sets up an emergency management program and emergency equipment utilization guidance in each worksite. This program includes personnel training to eliminate the disaster when it occurs (e.g. Matrix Pack fire safety team trained by our health and safety technician and the fire department), also regularly conducts relevant emergency response training and practices to increase staff familiarity with the SOP of accident management. Matrix Pack S.A. holds fire evacuation drills in headquarters and factories sites every year.
－A fully comprehensive occupational health and safety risk assessment has been conducted by our health and safety technician and based on the potential hazards, appropriate trainings of all staff take place.
Environmental Performance
As environmental consciousness is on the rise in recent years, green advocates are appearing on the international stage. Matrix Pack S.A. upholds the “Green Touch, Good Life” philosophy to make great strides for the protection of the planet since the climate change effects is getting worse. In view of climate change and protecting the natural environment, it keeps gathering legal requirements and environmental policies worldwide, and used this information to draft an environmental policy and conduct advance evaluations to determine products in green requirements. The environmental protection design concept was implemented into the product development process. The concept included energy‐saving, plastic material reduction, ease‐of‐recyclability, production of compostable and biodegradable straws and lids with almost zero carbon footprint from renewable resources. Matrix Pack S.A. works on the environmental solutions ensuring all products conform to environmental protection requirements. Additionally, Matrix Pack S.A. ensures that material is well managed from the source. It also guaranteed the reduction of harmful materials to protect the Earth.
- Green Design
Matrix Pack S.A. adopts international environmental standard as its green design concept; degradability, less packaging, low energy consumption, less plastic and others into every green product design to fulfill with future environmental requirements.
- Less Packaging
Matrix Pack S.A. not only considers the protection of its product, but also pays special attention to the environment protection. Meeting the EU Packaging Directive and other international standards, chooses packaging material that is recyclable and nontoxic. Matrix Pack S.A. manages packaging materials and fully complies with the content of the EU‐issued Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. The company expends the largest effort to environmental protection and resource recovery.
- Environmental policy
Environmental responsibility is minimizing the environmental impact and depletion of natural resources, while protecting public health and safety throughout the entire production process. Matrix Pack S.A. has always been concerned with environmental duties, solid implementation of environmental responsibility and a desire to improve the environment.
Every year, exhaust, wastewater, material waste and other emissions have been regularly monitored. Matrix Pack S.A. continues green content and management improvement.
Energy‐Saving and Waste Reduction
Energy‐Saving Solutions:
1. Electrical Equipment: Complete management of electric equipment, power management, control air conditioning, compressed air, ventilation, lighting, and power consumption during holidays. Review the need and soundness for starting electrical equipment and turn off or remove unnecessary electrical equipment.
2. Define Responsibility: Define responsibilities among electricity managers for regions, implement energy‐saving measures and management evaluation procedures. Collect data, analysis, comparative management procedures, implement energy‐saving tasks and review.
3. Electrical equipment enhancement: Evaluate internal electrical facilities of energy‐saving periodically e.g. Energy‐saving with frequency conversion, T5 lamp lighting replacement, air conditioning condensers, and the use of other clean technologies.
4. Equipment maintenance and operating efficiency improvement: Implement electrical equipment maintenance that ensures equipment is in good condition, has a low failure rate, reduces inefficient energy loss and improves energy‐saving efficiency.
5. Office power saving: Encourage employees to turn off computers when temporarily not in use.
Water Management
Water‐Saving Solutions:
1. Internal education about water saving: highlight “Save water, turn off the switch” signs with water‐saving slogans in areas of water use. Carry out regular water‐saving education to help employee understand the importance of water‐saving.
2. Narrow hot water offering: offer hot water within a limited time in staff dormitories to ensure employee use while preventing water‐waste.
3. Regular and random inspection: check water, water equipment and facilities to prevent waste of water.
4. Regular maintenance of water storage to ensure normal operation.
5. Water usage monitoring and review report in factory.
6. Recycling water from extruder baths.
7. Save water in sink and bathroom to reduce water consumption.
Waste Management
Maximizing resource utilization, Matrix Pack S.A. processes waste resource recovery and conversion into a useful resource. Complies with national standards for waste management and maintain regular examinations of disposal of waste.
Proactiveness, Supporting the community
- Donations and aid
Our company may preserve a budget to make monetary donations. These donations will aim to:
－Advance the arts, education and community events.
－Alleviate those in need.
- Our company may initiate and support community investment and educational programs. For example, it may begin partnerships with vendors for constructing public buildings. It can provide support to nonprofit organizations or movements to promote cultural and economic development of global and local communities.
Volunteering
- Our company will encourage its employees to volunteer. They can volunteer through programs organized internally or externally. Our company may sponsor volunteering events from other organizations.
Athens, 09/02/2023
