MANAGEMENT SYSTEM POLICY

June 2024


Gum Chemical Solutions S.A. is active in the area of Research, Development, Production and Commercialization of Turpentine, Rosin and its derivatives, and is committed to developing its activity in accordance with its commitments to corporate responsibility, social responsibility, quality, innovation, safety, the environment and the prevention of serious accidents involving dangerous substances. This Management System Policy includes the following commitments:

 

Customer Service

The primary objective of  Gum Chemical Solutions, S.A. is to meet the needs and requirements of our customers by providing them with high-quality and safe products and services.

This involves developing products that are suited to their current needs while anticipating their future requirements, maintaining close contact, and listening to what they have to say.

We aim to be the reference partner for our customers, ensuring that we meet their expectations, and consequently, achieve their satisfaction and loyalty.

We aim to be our customers’ partner of choice, ensuring we meet their expectations and, consequently, their satisfaction and loyalty.

 

Valorization of the Individual

We believe that the success of our company depends on the combination of competence and performance from dedicated employees.

The principles that guide us are:

> Respect for the individual, ensuring that all members of the organization understand their responsibility in respecting each other’s rights and dignity;

> Encouraging our employees to develop their skills and make the most of their abilities and potential, fostering the exchange of information and open dialogue;

> Providing continuous training to employees in technical areas, business best practices, health, safety, workplace hygiene, and the prevention and response to serious accidents involving hazardous substances, as well as personal development, as a way to enhance and maximize their professional and personal skills and competencies;

> Recognizing their performance and contribution to the company’s success;

> Promoting diversity and equal opportunities.

 

Responsibility Commitment

We strive to achieve a high level of performance and corporate responsibility in all activities, complying with all legal, regulatory, and stakeholder compliance obligations, as well as other requirements to which the organization subscribes, and applying our business principles in our actions toward business partners.

We aim to select, develop, and promote employees, including managers with initiative and empathy, who:

> Combine professional competence with a leadership style that motivates people to achieve high performance;

> Demonstrate open-mindedness, a sense of priorities, an understanding of the company’s needs, and the courage to question established knowledge;

> Are flexible enough to broaden their range of experience;

> Apply these business principles in their decisions and actions.

We are committed to operating with high ethical standards, fully respecting the legal and ethical principles that govern our activities and the organization’s global relationships with the market.

We expect the same commitment from the stakeholders with whom the organization interacts, ensuring strict compliance with legal and ethical rules for the healthy development of business, including scrupulously respecting rules against corruption, fraud, any form of favoritism or obtaining undue advantages, anti-competitive practices, conflicts of interest, money laundering, as well as respect for human rights and labor rights.

 

Commitment to Performance

We strive to continuously create value for our shareholders/investors and achieve sustained high productivity.

Our goal is to maintain a commitment to research, ensure our growth and independence, offer employment opportunities, manage risks, and deliver attractive dividends on invested capital.

 

Commitment to Society

A Gum Chemical Solutions, S.A. is part of the local community and environment.

We are a socially responsible organization and we are committed to developing aconstructive relationship in the environment where we are inserted, stimulating mutual contact and participation within the community, contributing to the mutual development, therefore:

> We maintain high ethical and social standards in our production and commercial activities, in our approach to science and innovation, in our efforts to protect the environment, and in ensuring good civic behavior;

> We also uphold a high standard in complying with local, national, and international regulations, cooperating with authorities, and proactively communicating with the public, particularly regarding health, safety, and the prevention of serious accidents involving hazardous substances, from the project phase to the end of the facility’s life cycle;

> We recognize the need to work in partnership with shareholders/investors, regularly listening to their views and taking them into consideration;

> We advocate for and respect human rights and the principles outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as the Fundamental Rights at Work stipulated by the Declaration of the World Labor Organization on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

> We support and respect global principles regarding workers’ rights, the prohibition of child labor, freedom of association for workers, respect for inclusion and diversity, non-discrimination and equal opportunities, the prohibition of workplace harassment, and fair compensation for work.

 

Commitment to the Environment

As part of our commitment to achieving sustainable development, we are dedicated to environmental protection, proactively utilizing new processes and technologies that minimize environmental impact. We ensure the reduction of impacts related to: air pollution, water pollution, waste production, consumption of raw materials, subsidiary materials, water, energy, and the production/use of substances.

The goal is to promote environmental sustainability, taking into consideration the respect for the environment, and the health and safety of both customers and employees. We aim for high energy efficiency, pollution prevention, sustainable use of resources, no complaints from the local community, and the protection of biodiversity.

We promote sustainable procurement, requiring our suppliers to adhere to the same strict labor practices, human rights, ethical, and environmental standards that the organization upholds, ensuring environmental sustainability throughout all stages of the product life cycle.

 

Commitment to Safety

We are committed to conducting our activities in compliance with safety regulations and the prevention of serious accidents, specifically through:

> Investigating all incidents and non-conformities to determine the causes and corrective actions, and sharing the conclusions to prevent the occurrence of similar incidents;

> Providing appropriate structures and resources—human, technological, and financial—aligned with the policy’s objectives and proportional to identified hazards. This includes defining roles, responsibilities, and competencies while promoting information and/or training for employees and other stakeholders;

> Ensuring the effectiveness of the Internal Emergency Plan by conducting training exercises in emergency response;

> Actively and responsibly collaborating with the relevant authorities and all stakeholders by identifying, assessing, and properly monitoring all sources of risk related to serious accidents involving hazardous substances, including various operational conditions and modifications that may affect their control;

> Implementing a process that promotes a culture of safety and ensures the information, consultation, and participation of workers in the development, planning, implementation, performance evaluation, and improvement actions of the Management System;

> Continuously working to eliminate hazards and reduce risks to workplace safety and health in order to provide safe and healthy working conditions, effectively preventing injuries, work accidents, and other health-related issues;

> Promoting optimal health and safety conditions in the workplace for all members of the organization.

In a world where information security is essential to business continuity, it is critical to ensure information security by implementing and maintaining mechanisms and procedures that ensure the proper integrity, confidentiality, and availability of information within the information systems, with the goal of maintaining credibility and trust, as well as safeguarding the physical systems and the data they contain.

 

Commitment to Innovation

Innovation in all aspects of our business is the key to our success. Since our activities are linked to the technology sector, we are committed to fostering an environment that generates ideas. Our innovation efforts are focused on the research, development, production of Turpentine, Rosin and their derivatives. In a constantly evolving world, it is imperative to have an innovation system capable of responding to change, showcasing a differentiating character in the market.

It is essential for us to identify new trends in their earliest stages and remain open to the most innovative ideas.

We develop safe products that incorporate environmental requirements at various stages of their life cycle and are of the highest quality.

We view change as an opportunity and complacency as a threat. Therefore, we encourage a mindset of openness to the world and to change in all areas of our company.

 

Continuous Improvement

Our principles and results are aligned with the best practices in the sector, which includes a transparent information system that allows for the continuous improvement of the performance of the management system in the areas of quality, innovation, environment, safety, and the prevention of serious accidents involving hazardous substances.

We will continue to implement guidelines and processes that enable us to implement each of our principles at the business level, periodically reviewing the policy to ensure it remains current, functional, and effective.

All the commitments mentioned above are reflected in management objectives to ensure the efficiency and adequacy of the Management System.