Code of conduct

This Code of Conduct defines the basic requirements placed by GWO’s Board of Directors on GWO’s secretariat concerning the secretariat’s responsibilities towards employees, colleagues, training participants, members, training providers, other stakeholders and the environment. These requirements also apply to GWO’s primary stakeholders (Members, Certified Training Providers and Certification Bodies).  

In addition to these requirements, compliance with the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact is expected of GWO itself and all stakeholders.

Global Wind Organisation reserves the right to change the requirements listed in this this Code of Conduct. Stakeholders must accept any changes to the Code of Conduct.  

The minimum requirements in the GWO Code of Conduct are:

Legal compliance

• to comply with the laws of the applicable legal systems.
  

Health and safety of employees

• to take responsibility for the health and safety of employees.
• to control hazards and take the best reasonably possible precautionary measures against accidents and occupational diseases.
• to provide training and ensure that employees are educated in relevant health and safety issues.
• to set up or use a reasonable occupational health & safety management system.
  

Prohibition of corruption and bribery

• to tolerate no form of and not to engage directly or indirectly in any form of corruption or bribery and not to grant, offer or promise anything of value to a government official or to a counterparty in the private sector to influence official action or obtain an improper advantage.
  

Fair competition, anti-trust laws and intellectual property rights

• to act in accordance with national and international competition laws and not to participate in price fixing, market or customer allocation, market sharing or bid rigging with competitors.
• to respect the intellectual property rights of others.
• to avoid all conflicts of interest that may adversely influence business relationships.
  

Respect for the basic human rights of employees and Delegates 

• to promote equal opportunities for and treatment of employees and Delegates irrespective of skin color, race, nationality, social background, disabilities, sexual orientation, political or religious conviction, sex or age.
• to respect the personal dignity, privacy and rights of each individual.
• to refuse to employ or make anyone work against their will.
• to refuse to tolerate any unacceptable treatment of employees, such as mental cruelty, sexual harassment or discrimination.
• to prohibit behavior including gestures, any form of communication digital or verbal, language and physical contact, that is sexual, coercive, threatening, abusive or exploitative, or considered as an unwanted romantic or sexual advance.
• to provide fair remuneration and to guarantee the applicable national statutory minimum wage.
• to comply with the maximum number of working hours laid down in the applicable laws.
• to recognize, as far as legally possible, the right of free association of employees and to neither favor nor discriminate against members of employee organizations or trade unions.
  

Prohibition of child labour

• to employ no workers under the age of 15 or, in those countries subject to the developing country exception of the ILO Convention 138, to employ no workers under the age of 14.
  

Environmental protection

• to act in accordance with the applicable statutory and international standards regarding environmental protection.
• to minimize environmental pollution and make continuous improvements in environmental protection.
  

Supply chain

• to use reasonable efforts to promote among its suppliers’ compliance with this Code of Conduct.
• to comply with the principles of non-discrimination with regard to supplier selection and treatment.
  

Additional requirements and guidelines are set out in:

• Requirements for Training – setting out further requirements for management systems and competences of Training Providers
• The GWO training standards – set further requirements for competences of Training
• Requirement for Certification – setting further requirements for Certification
  

Download PDF: GWO Code of Conduct This Code of Conduct defines the basic requirements placed by GWO’s Executive Committee on GWO’s secretariat concerning the secretariat’s responsibilities towards employees, colleagues, participants, members, training providers, other stakeholders and the environment.  These requirements also apply to GWO’s primary stakeholders (Members, Certified Training Providers and Certification Bodies).   In addition to these requirements, compliance with the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact is expected of GWO itself and all stakeholders.