• EN

  • UA

  • EN

  • UA

THE CODE
OF BUSINESS CONDUCT and ETHICS

Greetings!
This is the School of ME team and a very important document - our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. As a public organization, we put forward high moral and ethical requirements primarily to ourselves and expect the coincidence of values with our colleagues, partners, and participants of our activities.
The Code consists of several parts that describe values, taboos, principles of work with youth and children, and other important principles for us. Sometimes the code is written in the official language so that we do not have misunderstandings in interpretation.
Thank you for changing the world with us.
The version of the Code as of 18.09.2023

Sincerely yours,
The School of ME team

  • 1. Introduction

    This Code is a set of business conduct and ethics rules for the School of ME team representatives and its Contractors.
    The Code defines the basic values, principles, rules of business behavior, and ethics in accordance with the School of ME Philosophy.
    Understanding and adherence to this Code will help School of ME Team Members and Contractors to make the right decisions, avoiding situations that may harm the reputation of the School of ME.
    Each School of ME Team Member and the Contractor are obliged to know the Code and comply with it while performing tasks within the School of ME activities.
    Each School of ME Team Member, as well as the Contractor, must remember that their behavior directly affects their reputation and the reputation of the School of ME. Therefore compliance with the Code is also encouraged in everyday life.
    In case of inability to resolve a problematic issue on their own or if they do not understand the requirements of the Code, a School of ME Team Member or Contractor should seek clarification from their immediate supervisor. The School of ME management shall prevent, detect and promptly respond to Code violation cases.
    School of ME Team Member means any person who participates in the activities of the School of ME, has a signed agreement with the School of ME or otherwise performs work under the auspices of the School of ME. For the sake of simplicity, we refer to each person as a Team Member regardless of gender.
    The contractor is a legal entity or individual who has signed a cooperation agreement with the School of ME and participates in the activities of the School of ME in any way other than as a Team Member (including clients and outsourcing providers).
    School of ME expects that the Contractors share the values and principles, rules of ethics, and business conduct of the School of ME and reserves the right to refuse to cooperate with those Contractors who violate this Code.

  • 1.1. Goal

    Purpose of the Code:To prevent any behavior and actions of Team Members and School of ME Contractors contradicting our Philosophy.

  • 1.2. Philosophy

    Our Vision:A society where mindful entrepreneurship is a sustainable and widespread practice.
    Our Mission:To implement transformational projects to develop people and organizations to achieve value-based changes in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
    We believe that- business should do good;- business should do good and be profitable;- education can be different: flexible, engaging, applied, and often fun;- in the power of people who united around an idea can change the world for the better.

  • 2. Values2.1. UN Global Goals

    Among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, we directly contribute to them through our work:
    4. Quality EducationWe create state-of-the-art educational programs and provide access to knowledge to those segments of the population previously deprived of such opportunities.
    8. Decent work and economic growthConscious entrepreneurship involves social issues and a decent reward for it.
    17. Partnership for sustainable developmentOnly through joint efforts at all levels - government, economic, and private - can we improve the world.

  • 2.2. Diversity and Inclusion

    Diversity and inclusiveness are an integral part of the School of ME culture and one of the ways we live out our Philosophy.
    Our values are based on respect: for ourselves, for others, for diversity, and our future. We strive to be guided by the principles of diversity and inclusion in everything we do.
    We cooperate with competent and motivated people who share and respect our values, provide equal opportunities for development and growth, and protect their personal data. We do not tolerate any form of harassment or discrimination.
    We strive to maintain a gender balance in the organization and each project. In case of equal competence, preference will be given to representatives of disadvantaged groups for the role of Team Member or Contractor of the School of ME.

  • 2.3. Sustainability and Environmental Protection

    The School of ME is committed to operating in a climate-neutral manner.
    We welcome the reduction of paper usage and always use electronic document management whenever possible.
    All Team Members and Contractors of the School of ME prefer the most environmentally friendly solution when making decisions.

  • 2.4. Accounting and Reporting

    The School of ME ensures full compliance of its financial accounting and reporting with the laws of Ukraine and the countries in which the School of ME operates, as well as International Financial Reporting Standards.
    School of ME strongly condemns any acts and attempts of fraud and manipulation of financial information. School of ME shall ensure timely disclosure of information about material financial and operational violations in the interests of partners, team, and society.

  • 3. Absolute taboos
    3.1. Fraud

    School of ME prohibits fraud, which means theft of property or unlawful acquisition of rights to property, including intellectual property, of the School of ME by fraud or breach of trust.
    In particular, but not limited to, fraud includes the following actions:1. Receiving or providing illegal remuneration that influences the business decision-making of a Team Member or Contractor;2. Delivery or acceptance of products/equipment with qualitative or quantitative characteristics that do not correspond to those specified in the documents;3. Fictitious deliveries of inventory, including in case of collusion between the Team Member and the Contractor;4. Submission of forged payment documents for payment.

  • 3.2. Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing

    Team members may not promise, offer or give remuneration in money, property, material assets, or services to government officials and their related parties to obtain or maintain advantages for the School of ME.
    The School of ME also prohibits payment to government officials and parties from expediting procedures related to obtaining permits, simplifying formalities, or obtaining other benefits for the School of ME.
    The School of ME does not participate in and condemns actions aimed at financing terrorism.

  • 3.3 Political and Religious Activities

    The School of ME does not participate in political and religious activities. Team Members and Contractors do not engage in political or religious propaganda during the School of ME activities.

    Team Members and Contractors do not use the name of the School of ME, financial, material or any other resources of the School of ME for their political or religious activities.

  • 3.4. Violence and Human Trafficking

    School of ME strongly condemns any form of human trafficking or violence: physical, sexual, psychological, or economic. In detecting violent acts committed by Team Members or Contractors, the School of ME immediately terminates cooperation and reserves the right to transfer information about the violation to law enforcement agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice.
    A School of ME Team Representative who has a reasonable fear or suspicion of sexual exploitation or abuse by another Representative, regardless of whether they work directly on the same team, should report the behaviour through the complaints system by writing an email, including anonymously, to .em.emfoloohcs%40rh 

  • 3.5. Discrimination

    The School of ME strongly condemns any form of discrimination based on gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, language, political views, age, health status, etc.

    In its work, the School of ME is guided by the provisions of the Law of Ukraine "On the Principles of Preventing and Combating Discrimination in Ukraine" and, in case of violations, reserves the right to transfer information about the violation to law enforcement agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice and to terminate cooperation until the circumstances are clarified.

  • 4. Work with Youth and Children

    The School of ME pays special attention to the moral and ethical principles of working with adolescents and children.
    We use humanistic and biopsychological approaches.
    In the humanistic approach, founded by the famous psychologist C. Rogers, the attitude towards the recipient was based on the values of love service, love-activity for the benefit of others.
    In the biopsychological approach to the client's personality proposed by X. Perlman, the recipient is any person who needs counseling and has unfulfilled material or emotional needs.

  • 4.1 Work with Youth

    This age group includes the following groups: adolescence (18-23 years) and youth itself (23-35 years). The following reasons explain this approach to defining young age. The boundaries of youth age are quite fluid and depend on the socio-economic development of society, the level of well-being and culture achieved, and people's living conditions.
    The lower age limit here is determined by the fact that an adolescent may or may not receive the right to choose in social terms, and the upper age limit is determined by the achievement (or not) of professional maturity, completion (or not) of family formation, and occupation of a certain position in society.
    All Team Members and Contractors of the School of ME are obliged to use the highest moral and ethical principles in their work with young people to ensure- improving the social environment, providing conditions for the social formation of a young person;- affirmation of high moral values and guidelines;- combining the efforts of various social institutions in the education of young people;- eliminating unemployment among young people;- ensuring personal security in society;- social protection of the younger generation.

  • 4.2. Work with Children

    The age category "children (child)" includes the following groups:- preschool childhood /infancy, junior preschool age (1-3years)/ and older preschool age (3-6 years);- primary school childhood (6-10 years);- childhood (11-14 years);- early adolescence (15-17 years).
    The main work of the School of ME is with the last two categories of children. Considering the highly flexible psyche at this age, we insist on special pedagogical or social training for the Team Members and School of ME Contractors who will work directly with children.

  • 5. Conflict of Interest

    Team Members and Contractors shall not allow actions and situations that may lead to a Conflict of Interest, as well as contradict the interests of the School of ME.
    Under the Conflict of Interest, the School of ME means the following situations in which the personal interests of Team Members and Contractors within the scope of their employment may affect the objectivity of business decision-making:1. Combining the work of Team Members and School of ME Contractors with work in other companies or organizations that contradict the Code and principles of the School of ME.2. Hiring relatives without appropriate specialization as Contractors.3. Establishing business relationships and conducting business with Team Members on behalf of the School of ME without the organization's approval.
    The above situations will not be considered a violation of the Code if the Team Member has been informed about them and received them from his/her immediate supervisor.

  • 6. Consequences of Violation of the Code

    In case of violation of the Code, disciplinary sanctions may be applied to Team Members and Contractors of the School of ME up to and including removal from projects.

    If a violation of the law is detected on the part of a Team Member or Contractor, the School of ME reserves the right to transfer information about the violation to law enforcement agencies to bring the perpetrators to administrative or criminal liability.