Rules on Ethics and Compliance Conduct (Law 20,393)
1.Introduction
This document contains "
SQM Rules on Ethical and Compliance Conduct" of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. and of its subsidiaries in Chile (
SQM or the Company). These Rules apply to SQM Directors, principal Executives, Managers, Employees, and Service Providers receiving fees for professional services.
2.Legal Framework in Chile
On 2 December 2009, Law N° 20.393 was published in the Official Gazette. This Law "Establishes the criminal liability of Legal Entities for the following offenses: Money Laundering, Financing of Terrorism, and Bribery" when committed directly and immediately by, and for the benefit of, said legal person or for the benefit of its owners, controllers, administrators, representatives, or of any other persons carrying out management or supervisory activities, or who are under the direct supervision or orders of said persons.
SQM is therefore obliged to design and implement an organizational, administrative, and supervisory model that is adequate for preventing, correcting, and sanctioning the occurrence of said offenses (Money Laundering, Financing of Terrorism, and Bribery).
SQM is committed to complying with applicable laws, regulations, standards, and statutes, and has therefore implemented such a model – called "
SQM Rules on Ethical and Compliance Conduct" (Code of Ethics, or Code of Business Conduct) – which will be overseen by
SQM's Ethics Committee and controlled by the Internal Auditing Department. Said Committee and Internal Auditing Department will be responsible for the implementation of the Code of Business Conduct, with a view to preventing the commission of the above offenses, through the creation and implementation of various plans, programs, or procedures, and the application of the corresponding penalties or corrective measures in regard of non-compliance with the Code of Business Conduct. They shall also report these matters to
SQM's Board of Directors.
3.Offenses Prevention Model – Ethics Rules
Law N° 20.393 states that Codes of Business Conduct must include the following aspects (as a minimum):
• Appointment of a person responsible for prevention.
• Definition of means and faculties of the prevention officer.
• Establishment of an offenses prevention system.
• Supervision and certification of the offenses prevention system.
4.Ethics Committee
SQM has created an Ethics Committee, whose members are: The Chief Executive Officer, the Assistant CEO, the Company General Counsel, and the Head of the Internal Audit. The Committee will oversee compliance with the Code of Business Conduct.
Said Committee will also design the preventive plans to be applied, and will determine the penalties and corrective measures to be applied in cases of non-compliance. The Ethics Committee will ensure that
SQM undertakes the corresponding legal and criminal proceedings against any person who contravenes the terms of the Code of Business Conduct, or who commits any of the acts covered by Law N° 20,393. In such cases, the Committee will report the facts to the Public Prosecutor's office.
5.Prevention Officer
The Company's Head of Internal Audit will be the person responsible for prevention. He will be responsible for controlling the implementation of preventive plans, detecting the occurrence of violations of the Code of Conduct, investigating them, and reporting the results of said investigation to the Ethics Committee and the Board of Directors.
6.Code of Business Conduct, and Policies
The Ethics Rules include, among others, the Code of Conduct (Code) and the corporate policies that may be necessary for making explicit, applying, and ensuring compliance with the Code of Conduct (Policies).
SQM has modified, and will continue to modify the Code. The Code includes the following components:
• The Code of Business Conduct itself.
• The Policy on Standards of Business Conduct.
• The Policy on Prevention and Sanctioning of Money Laundering, the Financing of Terrorism, and Bribery.
• The Policy on Prevention and Solution of Conflicts of interest.
• The Policy on the Use of SQM Assets.
• The Policy on Gifts, Entertainment, and Invitations.
• The Policy on Donations, Contributions, and Commercial Promotions.
• The Policy on Prevention of Activities Related to Illegal Drugs.
• The Policy on Non-Discrimination and Respect for Human Dignity.
• The Policy on Open Communication.
• The Policy on Reporting Irregularities.
• The Policy on Managing and Using Information.
7.System of denounces
SQM has set up the following channels to receive reports on non-compliance with the Code of Conduct:
• E-mail
auditoria@sqm.com
whistleblower@sqm.com
• Regular mail
The report may be delivered by means of a confidential letter addressed to: (Gerencia de Auditoría Interna
SQM, Los Militares Street N°4290, 10th Floor, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile).
• Telephone number for reporting irregularities (Voice mail):
(+56) (2) 425 2346 or (55) 412346
• Standard Form for making the Report:
This form is available through the corporate Website www.sqm.com (choose the English language version by means of the flag in the top right-hand corner, (Investor relations- Corporate Governance – Whistleblower form).
8.Obligation to Report
Natural or legal persons associated with
SQM must immediately advise the Company about any factual or suspected irregular events, acts, transactions, or operations involving any violation of the Company's Code of Conduct that they may detect during the course of their work activities.
9.Sanctions
Failure to comply fully and in a timely manner with the terms of this Code of Conduct will lead to the application of the corresponding sanctions. Said sanctions shall be applied by
SQM – verbal reprimand, written reprimand, cash fine, suspension from work without pay, termination of work contract, and initiation of civil and/or criminal proceedings – and also by the Public Prosecutor's office and any other pertinent authorities or agencies, as a result of
SQM reporting the facts or initiating legal proceedings.
The Company will collaborate fully with the administrative or judicial authorities to investigate and sanction the corresponding offenses.
10.Doing Business with Natural or Legal Persons Convicted of Offenses
SQM will seek to avoid entering into commercial or other types of relations or contracts with, or undertaking obligations towards, persons who have been sanctioned for committing offenses covered by Law N° 20,393 or for other acts similar to those forbidden by the Code of Conduct. Additionally,
SQM will undertake whatever investigations it may see fit concerning the commercial or personal situation of any third parties who may have committed such offenses or types of conduct, and will act in accordance with the results of said investigation.
11.Offenses punished by Law N° 20.393
Law N° 20,393 establishes the Criminal Liability of Legal Persons for committing offenses covered by the following laws or statutes:
• Article 27 of Law N° 19,913 (Money Laundering)
• Law N° 19,366 (Drug Trafficking).
• Law N° 18,314 (Terrorism).
• Law N° 17,798 (Weapons Control).
• Law N° 18,045 (Stocks & Securities).
• DFL N°3 of 1997 (General Law on Banks).
• Penal Code (Paragraphs 4, 5, 6, 9, and 9 bis of Title V, On Offenses Committed by Public Employees).
• Article 8 of Law N° 18,314 (Terrorism).
• Articles 250 and 251 bis of the Penal Code (Bribery).