Care First

Environment, Health, Safety, and Security

We strive to protect the environment and are committed to providing our employees with a safe and secure workplace. We strive for zero injuries and strive to be a global leader in workplace safety.

Living our Values

Environmental stewardship, workplace safety, and security are integral parts of our culture. Our commitment includes:

• Acting in compliance with the environmental laws and regulations in the countries in which we operate
• Following the environmental and safety policies, practices, and procedures applicable to our workplaces
• Taking a proactive approach to environmental challenges by continuously seeking ways to protect natural resources, reduce our environmental impact, go beyond compliance, and create efficiencies while upholding product safety and quality standards
• Promoting dialogue and innovation to improve workplace safety
• Reporting and correcting unsafe or unhealthy conditions or behaviours, as well as incidents that may lead to spills, releases, or environmental non-compliance
• Not using or possessing illegal drugs or controlled substances or working under the influence of drugs or alcohol in the workplace or while we are engaged in any job-related activity.

Human Rights

We respect the rights of workers throughout our supply chain, including contractors and suppliers. 

Living our Values

We recognise the rights of our employees and those with whom we do business to be treated with dignity and respect and in accordance with applicable laws. We expect our business partners to do the same. We will not tolerate the exploitation of children or the use of forced labour or human trafficking. Our respect for human rights means: 

• Upholding the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
• Performing appropriate due diligence on potential business partners
• Following our procurement policies when selecting new suppliers
• Paying fairly in the market and meeting or exceeding all legal requirements related to employee pay and benefits
• Respecting employees’ rights to organise and bargain collectively

Ingredion’s supplier partners must ensure that their workforces are free from child labour and any forms of forced labour, including slave, indentured, bonded, prison labour, or any form of human trafficking. Ingredion does not engage in or support the use of child labour.

Ingredion will make reasonable exceptions where the young workers are under the age of 18 if the young workers,

• Exceed the local legal definition of a child;
• Are working outside of school hours as defined by compulsory educational laws;
• The work is non-hazardous, and
• The job is an apprenticeship in line with the requirements for their schooling.

Ingredion’s supplier partners must ensure that their workforces are free from child labour and any forms of forced labour, including slave, indentured, bonded, prison labour, or any form of human trafficking.

Sustainability

We strive to be an exemplary corporate citizen and community member, and we work to make a positive, lasting impact on the communities where we work and live.

We operate with care and respect for the planet, our employees, and the communities in which we operate. We believe in creating a better, more sustainable business while delivering shared value to our stakeholders. And we believe in conducting business today in a way that protects our ability to continue to do business in the future.

Agricultural Sustainability

Ingredion believes in supporting the long-term sustainability of the agricultural and farming operations that provide us with raw materials. To that end, we seek to: 

• Promote safety in the production, storage, handling, and delivery of crops among the farmers who supply our raw materials
• Encourage the efficient use of natural resources in farming and related activities to minimise potential environmental impact, reduce impact to water, and support the viability of agriculture and biodiversity for generations to come.
• Support the use of approved biotechnology (which may differ from country to country) and understand consumer preferences with respect to genetically modified organisms.
• Oppose the use of child and forced labour acting in accordance with local laws and globally accepted standards.
• Promote the responsible treatment of migrant workers doing business with our agricultural suppliers.
• Practice fair and ethical trading practices to promote the economic well-being of the communities in which we do business.
• Support reduction of pesticide use and promote integrated pest management.

Water Stewardship and Climate-Related Risk

Ingredion recognises the rights of all people to clean water, and as good stewards of the environment, we strive to reduce the impacts of our operations on the climate by:

• Recognising that water is a significant, key raw material in our processes and may compete with other needs in water-scarce regions
• Setting goals to reduce the water and CO2 intensities across our operations
• Aligning our global operations with universally recognised principles on the environment as a signatory to the Global Compact.
• Utilising the United Nations Development Programme Sustainable Development Goals as a benchmark to better align our sustainability efforts with the greater needs of society.
• Designing and operating environmentally sound supply chains as appropriate and working with our suppliers to educate and improve sustainability across our supply chain.
• Procuring sustainably sourced materials in areas where we have the ability to influence our suppliers.
• Educating our communities on the importance of water conservation.
• Advancing our commitment to continuous improvement through the exploration of innovative solutions to reduce the environmental impact of our operations, including water conservation and energy efficiency endeavours.

Anti-Bribery and Corruption

We win business based on the integrity of our employees, products and services, as well as commercial excellence and the exceptional customer experience we provide. Ingredion is committed to fully complying with all applicable anti-money laundering (AML) and terrorist finance laws, rules and regulations. We do not seek or maintain business by trying to corrupt the judgment of our customers or government officials. This applies equally to other parties engaged to act on our behalf. We do not tolerate or engage in bribery. That is, we do not exchange payment for government influence or to obtain a commercial advantage.

Most countries have anti-bribery laws that prohibit bribing a government official. Under some country laws, such as the U.K. Bribery Act, bribing anyone else (commercial bribery) is also a crime. In addition, all Ingredion employees, regardless of personal location or place of business, must comply with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) as a result of the parent company “Ingredion” being based in the U.S. The FCPA makes bribery of government officials a crime and applies wherever Ingredion does business.

To comply with anti-bribery laws, do not offer— directly or indirectly—any form of gift, entertainment, inducement, or anything of value to any government official or his or her representatives to obtain or retain business, influence business decisions, or secure an unfair advantage.

These prohibitions apply to our business operations, partners, and anyone acting on our behalf, including agents, consultants, suppliers, and contractors.

Some government payments are not forbidden. For example, payments may be made to a government entity in the ordinary course of business, to pay taxes or when the government entity is a customer or supplier. However, payment of any kind of bribe or facilitating payment to a government official in any country is prohibited. Facilitating payments are discretionary payments to government officials intended to expedite or ensure routine actions – such as issuing licenses, permits, or visas. If you receive a request from a government official for a bribe or facilitating payment, you must decline to make the payment unless you have a reasonable good-faith belief that failure to make the payment may subject you or others to physical harm. You must also report the request for a bribe or facilitating payment promptly and directly to your manager, the Legal Department, Business Integrity Department, or through the Business Ethics Line.

Note that there are some governmental agencies with formal provisions for paying a fee, for example, to expedite permit review. Those transactions, where payment does not influence the final decision on the permit and is used to pay for the resources and personnel necessary to expedite processing, are not considered facilitating payments.

As the last item on the list shows, the definition of government official is not always simply someone holding the government job.

Living our Values

Corruption can take many forms. It is important that our partners and anyone engaged to act on our behalf are aligned with our standards and expectations and uphold our commitment to do business with integrity and in accordance with applicable laws. When dealing with external organisations, be aware of the warning signs that require further investigation before hiring or working with someone from outside Ingredion, such as:

• Refusal to agree to Ingredion global standards or anti-corruption contract provisions
• Inconsistencies or misrepresentations in the due diligence process or a reluctance to cooperate
• Requests for unusual payment arrangements, such as payments in cash or payments to be made to a third-party intermediary (e.g., not to the vendor who is providing the services)
• Requests to make charitable donations
• Recommendation of a party by a government official
• Hiring a relative of a government official or even the offer of an internship to the relative
• Commission or fees higher than the going rate
• A reputation for questionable business practices
• Close social, business, or family ties to a government official.

When selecting and retaining suppliers, always:

• Follow our applicable bidding, negotiating, and contracting processes.
• Avoid potential or actual conflicts of interest with suppliers.
• Include FCPA clauses in all Ingredion supplier contracts.
• Perform appropriate due diligence to determine whether the supplier is a legitimate enterprise, has a reputation for integrity and ethical behaviour, is connected with anyone from a government or a government organisation, or if the supplier has ever engaged in unlawful activities.

For guidance on supplier due diligence, contact your local Legal contact.