Standards For Suppliers
Meridian is a fully integrated life science company that develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes a broad range of innovative diagnostic and life science products. Meridian is dedicated to developing and delivering better solutions that give answers with speed, accuracy, and simplicity that are redefining the possibilities of life from discovery to diagnosis. Meridian has established a reputation for integrity in all business dealings. As Meridian continues to expand our business, it is important to preserve our core values and protect our reputation in selecting where and with whom we do business. The standards set forth herein (the “Supplier Standards”) are the basic minimum standards that all Suppliers must meet in order to conduct business with Meridian Bioscience, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively, “Meridian”). Meridian recognizes that there are different legal and cultural environments in which our Suppliers operate throughout the world. In the event compliance with the Supplier Standards would cause a violation of applicable law, Meridian expects our Suppliers to behave in a manner consistent with the spirit of the Supplier Standards to the extent possible without violating applicable law
1. Compliance with Laws
a. General. All Suppliers must comply with all applicable industry standards and legal requirements of the countries in which they do business, including the export control and labor and employment laws of those countries and applicable U.S. laws. All invoices, shipping documents, quotations, bills of lading and other transaction documents prepared by Supplier must comply with all applicable law and these Supplier Standards.
2. Employment Practices
a. Prison or Forced Labor. Suppliers are not permitted to use prison or forced labor. Suppliers shall maintain employment on a voluntary basis.
b. Human Trafficking. Meridian will not tolerate human trafficking in any of our global operations. Meridian expects our Suppliers to ensure no human trafficking exists within their businesses and supply chain and are committed to complying with applicable laws prohibiting such exploitation.
c. Disciplinary Practices. Suppliers shall treat their employees with respect and dignity. Suppliers must provide a work environment free of harassment, abusive behavior and physical punishment in any form.
d. Child Labor. Suppliers are not permitted to use child labor as defined in Principle Five of the United Nations Global Compact.
e. Working Hours. Suppliers shall maintain reasonable employee work hours in compliance with local standards and all applicable laws. Employees shall not work more hours in one week than allowable under applicable law and shall be properly compensated for overtime work. Employees should be permitted reasonable days off and leave privileges.
f. Employee Training. Suppliers must ensure that personnel are properly and adequately trained to successfully and safely perform their assigned responsibilities.
g. Compensation. Suppliers must pay wages that meet or exceed legally required wages. Suppliers must comply with all applicable local, state, and national wage and hour laws.
h. Non-Discrimination/Human Rights. Suppliers should treat all employees with professionalism and respect. Meridian believes that all terms and conditions of employment should be based upon an individual’s ability to do the job, not on the basis of personal characteristics or beliefs. Suppliers should not discriminate against their employees in hiring practices or any other term or condition of work, on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability or any other characteristics protected by law.
i. Workplace Environment. Suppliers shall provide their employees with safe and healthy working conditions, including, for example, reasonable machine guarding, working and accessible fire exits, adequate ventilation, safety equipment, well-lit and comfortable workstations, clean restrooms, adequate living quarters where necessary, and other customary and normal safety business practices. Facilities should be built and maintained in accordance with the standards set by applicable codes and ordinances and workers should be adequately trained to perform their jobs safely.
j. Collective Bargaining. Suppliers shall recognize and respect employee rights to join or not join any lawful organization of their own choosing and be committed to complying with laws pertaining to freedom of association, privacy, and collective bargaining.
3. Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption
Meridian maintains its Corporate Policy Concerning U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, U.K. Bribery Act and Anti-Corruption Laws prohibiting corruption, including any improper or unethical payments to any person anywhere in the world, with specific focus on the provisions of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the UK Bribery Act 2010.
Our policy statement is: No Meridian officer, employee or agent shall, for the purpose of securing an improper advantage for Meridian, offer or promise, or make or facilitate a payment or gift of, anything of value to – or accept anything of value from – any person, including, but not limited to, a foreign government official. Furthermore, every Meridian officer, employee and agent is obligated by Meridian policy and federal law to keep books, records and accounts that accurately and fairly reflect all transactions and any disposition of Meridian assets. This policy is intended to supplement Meridian’s Code of Ethics, which contains provisions governing conduct similar to that addressed in Meridian policies, including provisions regarding bribery, record-keeping and compliance with applicable law.
Meridian likewise expects its suppliers to abide by its policies and not offer, promise, make, or facilitate a payment or gift of anything of value to any person, including any foreign government official.
4. Environmental Practices
Suppliers should provide products to Meridian and conduct their business operations in a way that protects and sustains the environment in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Suppliers are expected reduce the total use of substances of concern as well as the adequate treatment of hazardous waste (solid and wastewater) and hazardous air emissions. Suppliers are encouraged to:
reduce excess packaging,
use recycled and non-toxic materials where feasible,
use sustainable manufacturing practices,
promote the efficient and responsible use of products,
take efforts to reduce energy use, and
reduce water consumption.
5. Conflict Minerals. “Conflict Minerals,” as defined by the US legislation, currently include the metals tantalum, tin, tungsten and gold, which are the extracts of the minerals cassiterite, columbite-tantalite and wolframite, respectively. Suppliers shall ensure they (i) do not use Conflict Minerals in the materials they supply to Meridian, (ii) have no reason to believe the Conflict Minerals they use may have originated in the Covered Countries, and/or (iii) reasonably believe that the Conflict Minerals they use are from recycled or scrap sources.
6. Competition Law
Suppliers shall not share or exchange any price, cost or other competitive information or engage in any collusive conduct with any third party with respect to any proposed, pending or current Meridian procurement.
7. Conflicts of Interests
All Meridian employees are expected to avoid any investment, interest or association which interferes, might interfere, or might be thought to interfere with the employee’s independent exercise of judgment in Meridian’s best interest. A conflict of interest may exist where the employee, any member of his or her family or any close personal relation (i) has a significant direct or indirect financial interest in, or obligation to, an actual or potential competitor, Supplier or customer or (ii) is a principal, officer or representative of a Supplier or customer with whom the employee conducts business on Meridian’s behalf. Meridian employees are required to disclose any possible conflicts of interest and report any violations of nonconforming business practices to a member of management. Similarly, Suppliers are required to disclose any possible conflict of interest to the Meridian employee(s) with whom they are negotiating or, if the possible conflict involves such persons, to the appropriate general manager or department head.
8. Data Privacy and Security
Suppliers shall be individually and separately responsible for complying with the obligations that apply to it as a Controller under Applicable Data Protection Law, including responding to any Data Subject requests to exercise their rights under Applicable Data Protection Law. Each party shall maintain a publicly accessible privacy policy on its website that satisfies the transparency disclosure requirements of Applicable Data Protection Law.
Suppliers shall maintain appropriate documents and records to ensure quality and regulatory compliance.
9. How to Raise a Question or Concern
Subject to local laws and any legal restrictions applicable to such report, each Supplier is expected to inform Meridian promptly of any concern related to these Standards affecting Meridian, whether or not the concern involves the Supplier, as soon as the Supplier has knowledge of such an occurrence. Meridian prohibits retaliation against any person reporting such a concern. Suppliers must take such steps as Meridian may reasonably request to assist Meridian in the investigation of any such occurrence involving Meridian and the Supplier. A question or concern may be raised as follows:
By discussing it with the Meridian business contact when appropriate
By submitting it online to www.meridianbioscience.ethicspoint.com
By calling the Meridian Ethics Hotline at 1-844-246-9963 (U.S.), or if outside the U.S., you can find your country-specific hotline number at www.meridianbioscience.ethicspoint.com
Rev. 10/2023