Ethics & Compliance

Albemarle is fully committed to working with integrity. Doing what is right, and doing what we say we will do, is our starting point for everything. We care as much about how results are achieved as we do about the results themselves, and we have a responsibility to operate our business in a transparent and ethical manner.

Our Approach

Our Chief Compliance Officer is responsible for our comprehensive ethics and compliance program. We report on emerging compliance risks and the status of our program to the Audit and Finance Committee on a quarterly basis. Our approach to business ethics is directed by our code of conduct, which provides an overview of our expectations and standards for ethical behavior and compliance, as applied in day-to-day employee activities.

Programs & Initiatives

• We require our workforce to complete annual code of conduct training and provide additional in-depth compliance training to employees according to potential ethics and compliance risks they might face.
  
• We conduct periodic assessments of specific ethics and compliance risks of importance to our stakeholders, such as anti-corruption. These assessments also involve an assessment of the effectiveness of our existing controls and are reported in a manner consistent with our ERM framework.
• We conduct real-time analytics to provide us with insight into our ethics and compliance program and to help us direct resources where needed.
• When employees or other stakeholders recognize or suspect activity that is potentially in violation of our Code of Conduct or an applicable law, we encourage them to speak up. Employees may do so anonymously and without fear of retaliation. Concerns can be raised with employees’ supervisors, the Global Ethics & Compliance team, the General Counsel or members of the Legal Department, the Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee of the Board, the Human Resources Department, or via our Integrity Helpline.

Our Core Values – Care, Collaboration, Courage, Curiosity, Humility, Integrity and Transparency – power our potential, guide our work, and protect our corporate reputation. Our Code of Conduct represents our Core Values in action and provides an overview of our expectations and standards for ethical behavior and compliance, as applied in day-to-day employee activities.

The Albemarle Business Partner Code of Conduct applies to all vendors, contractors, sales representatives and any other partner doing business with Albemarle.

We prohibit all forms of bribery and corruption, whether by our employees, third-party sales representatives, or anyone else acting on our behalf. This includes making facilitation payments. In accordance with the UN Global Compact Tenth Principle, Albemarle works against corruption in all its forms.

Albemarle’s Anti-Corruption Policy provides guidance on the types of activities that might constitute bribery, the scenarios in which bribery might arise, and Albemarle’s expectations and requirements in those scenarios. The Policy is supplemented by tailored anti-corruption-related requirements that are embedded in functional policies relating to sales, procurement, government engagement, community engagement, charitable donations and commercial sponsorships.

We believe that business can only flourish in societies where human rights are protected and respected. We recognize the human rights of our stakeholders as expressed in the International Bill of Human Rights and the International Labour Organization's Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Our Human Rights Policy provides direction and guidance to ensure that our engagement and activities support the fundamental principles of basic human rights.

Albemarle maintains an Integrity Helpline for confidential reporting of matters related to its Code of Conduct or the law.

The Integrity Helpline is operated by an independent company and can be contacted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in multiple languages, by phone or online. In the U.S., it can also be contacted by text message. Your concern may be submitted confidentially and anonymously to the extent allowed under the law.

To report online please visit our Integrity Helpline website:
www.IntegrityHelpline.Albemarle.com

If you would prefer to speak to someone confidentially, call the Integrity Helpline. Once a concern is submitted, it will be assigned to a member of our Global Ethics & Compliance team for review. You will be provided with a unique pin number, allowing you to follow up on your concern by receiving and sending messages in a secure environment.

• If calling inside the U.S. call (800) 461-9330.
• If you are dialing internationally, visit www.IntegrityHelpline.Albemarle.com and choose your location to find the correct number for your country.

You may raise concerns directly with our Global Ethics & Compliance team by email: [email protected]

You may also raise concerns by post:
Chief Compliance Officer
Albemarle Corporation
4250 Congress Street, Suite 900
Charlotte, NC, 28209

Albemarle employees are encouraged to visit the speak-up section of the eCode for information on other available channels for reporting.

We will not tolerate any direct or indirect acts of retaliation against an individual who in good faith reports a concern or suspected violation of our Code, Business Partner Code or applicable laws. This includes retaliation against anyone for participating in an investigation of suspected misconduct, whether conducted by Albemarle or any government agency. We will investigate all allegations of retaliation.

Our business partners play a crucial role in our success, helping us to deliver the promises we make. How our business partners adhere to our Core Values is an essential part of their performance for Albemarle. Our Business Partner Code of Conduct applies to all vendors, contractors, sales representatives and any other partner doing business with Albemarle.

We conduct business ethically and in a manner that is consistent with our Core Values. Our Anti-Corruption Policy provides guidance on the types of activity that might constitute bribery, the scenarios in which bribery might arise, and our requirements in those scenarios.

We are committed to vigorous but fair competition and act independently of our competitors. We expect our customers and business partners to compete fairly, and we will take action against those who do not. Our Antitrust Policy provides guidance on the types of activity that may violate competition laws, the scenarios in which that activity might arise, and our requirements in those scenarios.

To help identify and avoid potential conflicts of interest, and to identify the requirements when such a conflict is identified, we've developed our Conflict of Interest Policy.