Nexus Ingredient Group

1. Introduction

Nexus Ingredient Group (“Nexus Ingredient”, “the Company”, “we”, “our”, or “us”) is committed to conducting business ethically, responsibly, and with integrity across our global operations.

As a supplier to the global food and beverage industry, Nexus Ingredient expects all suppliers to uphold high standards of human rights, environmental responsibility, food safety, and ethical business conduct.

This Supplier Code of Conduct sets out the minimum expectations for suppliers, contractors, manufacturers, distributors, service providers, and other business partners.

2. Scope

This Code applies to all suppliers providing goods or services to any Nexus Ingredient entity.

Suppliers are expected to:

• comply with this Code
• comply with applicable laws and regulations
• apply these standards throughout their own supply chains

Where legal requirements and this Code address the same issue, the higher standard must apply.

3. Legal and Regulatory Compliance

Suppliers must comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including those related to:

• labour and employment
• workplace health and safety
• food safety and product regulations
• environmental protection
• anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws
• international trade and sanctions regulations

Suppliers must maintain appropriate documentation demonstrating compliance.

4. Human Rights and Labour Standards

Nexus Ingredient expects suppliers to respect internationally recognized human rights, including standards established by the International Labour Organization and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

4.1 Freely Chosen Employment

Suppliers must not use:

• forced labour
• bonded labour
• indentured labour
• prison labour
• human trafficking

Workers must not be required to surrender identity documents or pay recruitment fees.

Workers must be free to leave employment after reasonable notice.

4.2 Child Labour

Suppliers must not employ workers below the legal minimum working age.

Where young workers are employed, suppliers must ensure:

• work is not hazardous
• working hours comply with legal requirements
• education opportunities are not compromised.

4.3 Freedom of Association

Suppliers must respect workers’ rights to:

• form or join trade unions
• collectively bargain
• appoint worker representatives

Where these rights are restricted by law, suppliers must allow alternative worker representation.

4.4 Non-Discrimination

Suppliers must ensure fair and equal treatment and must not discriminate based on:

• gender
• race
• ethnicity
• religion
• nationality
• disability
• age
• sexual orientation
• political beliefs

Employment decisions must be based solely on merit and capability.

4.5 Fair Wages

Suppliers must ensure workers receive wages that:

• meet or exceed legal minimum wage requirements
• include legally mandated benefits
• are paid regularly and transparently.

4.6 Working Hours

Working hours must comply with applicable labour laws.

Suppliers should ensure:

• reasonable working hours
• adequate rest periods
• voluntary overtime with appropriate compensation.

5. Health and Safety

Suppliers must provide a safe and healthy working environment.

Suppliers must:

• identify and control workplace hazards
• provide appropriate training
• provide personal protective equipment
• maintain safe buildings and equipment
• ensure emergency preparedness and evacuation procedures.

Workers must have access to clean drinking water, sanitation, and safe facilities.

6. Food Safety and Quality

Suppliers providing ingredients or materials used in food production must maintain high standards of food safety and product quality.

Suppliers must:

• implement a food safety management system based on HACCP principles
• maintain traceability of products and raw materials
• comply with all applicable food safety regulations
• promptly report food safety incidents.

Suppliers are encouraged to maintain certification to recognised food safety standards aligned with the Global Food Safety Initiative.

7. Product Integrity and Food Fraud Prevention

Suppliers must protect the integrity and authenticity of ingredients supplied to Nexus Ingredient.

Suppliers must take appropriate measures to prevent:

• food fraud
• adulteration
• substitution of ingredients
• mislabeling of products.

Suppliers must maintain systems to detect and prevent product tampering and contamination.

8. Environmental Responsibility

Suppliers must operate in an environmentally responsible manner and comply with environmental regulations.

Suppliers are encouraged to:

• reduce energy consumption
• minimize waste and pollution
• conserve water
• reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

9. Ethical Business Conduct

Suppliers must conduct business with integrity and transparency.

Suppliers must not engage in:

• bribery
• corruption
• fraud
• facilitation payments
• conflicts of interest.

All business transactions must be properly documented.

10. Responsible Sourcing and Traceability

Suppliers must maintain systems enabling traceability of ingredients, materials, and products.

Suppliers should ensure that their own suppliers adhere to responsible sourcing practices consistent with this Code.

11. Animal Welfare

Suppliers sourcing animal-derived ingredients must ensure animals are treated humanely and in accordance with recognized welfare standards.

12. Data Integrity and Transparency

Suppliers must ensure that all information provided to Nexus Ingredient is accurate and not misleading, including:

• product specifications
• certifications
• regulatory documentation
• compliance records.

13. Monitoring and Verification

Nexus Ingredient reserves the right to verify supplier compliance with this Code through:

• supplier questionnaires
• documentation reviews
• third-party audits
• corrective action programs.

Suppliers must cooperate with reasonable verification requests.

14. Reporting Concerns

Suppliers are encouraged to report concerns related to unethical practices, human rights violations, or breaches of this Code.

Nexus Ingredient will investigate credible concerns and take appropriate action where necessary.

15. Continuous Improvement

Nexus Ingredient encourages suppliers to continually improve environmental, social, and ethical practices.

Collaboration with suppliers is essential to building responsible and sustainable supply chains.

16. Acceptance

By supplying goods or services to Nexus Ingredient, suppliers acknowledge that they understand and will comply with this Supplier Code of Conduct.