Code of Good Conduct in the Prevention and Combatting of Bullying at Work

The present “Code of Good Conduct in the Prevention and Combatting of Bullying at Work”, containing certain principles set out in the “Business Ethics Code of Conduct” in use at the company, aims to establish a series of principles and values regarding the prevention and the combatting of bullying at work to be respected by all personnel at the company, including company bodies and the holders of management posts towards their colleagues and at the same time comply with the provisions of Law n.º 73/2017, of the 16th of August which strengthened the existing legislative framework regarding instances of bullying.

1. Applicability

The present Code is applicable to all Timestamp Group personnel, covering all staff, members of management bodies and the holders of management posts.

2. Concept

The concept of bullying is understood to be any unwanted behaviour, especially those that result in discrimination in recruitment or at work, in professional training with the aim or tending to have the effect of disturbing or embarrassing someone, affecting their dignity or creating an environment of intimidation, hostility, degradation, humiliation or destabilisation. The broad concept of bullying includes sexual harassment, understood as unwanted conduct of a sexual nature of a verbal, non-verbal or physical type. 

3. Behavioural aspects

In the work environment or connected to it, company personnel should behave in such a way as to avoid any actions that might be seen as bullying as set out above in the previous number.

4. Prevention and combatting of Bullying at Work

The Timestamp Group companies will not tolerate any form of bullying at work on the part of company personnel.

Any act of bullying, without prejudice to civil or criminal liability that may result from the same, will be subject to disciplinary procedures.  

5. Intracompany mechanisms for dealing with bullying and procedures

1. Any employee who becomes aware of bullying practices or is subject to the same is obliged to report said fact to the Ethics Committee by e-mailto: c.etica@timestamp.pt
2. Any complaint should be treated by the complainant and by the Ethics Committee with the greatest confidentiality;
3. After receipt of the complaint, the Ethics Committee should immediately make the company bodies with disciplinary competencies aware so that the corresponding disciplinary procedure can be initiated;
4. Should the person subject to the complaint be a part of the Ethics Committee or the competent disciplinary body, said Committee should make every effort to ensure that the disciplinary procedure is initiated.

6. Guarantees

1. The complainant and the witnesses indicated by the same may not be subjected to disciplinary measures unless acting in bad faith, on the basis of statements or facts contained in the judicial or administrative proceeding documents, initiated by the harassment until the final court decision, without prejudice to the exercise of a counter claim;
2. An offence at the initiative of an employee against the physical or moral integrity, liberty, honour or dignity of the employee punishable in law, including the bullying at work complaint with inspection competency in the employment field on the part of the employer or their representative is just cause for the termination of the employment contract .
3. Up to a year from the complaint or any other form of exercise of rights relating to equality, non-discrimination or bullying, any disciplinary sanction applied is assumed to be abusive.
4. In the absence of an internal solution for potential cases of bullying, the Working Conditions Authority provides an e-mail address for receipt of complaints of bullying in an employment context.

7. Duty to report

All employees at TIMESTAMP GROUP are obliged to report any breaches of the principles and duties consigned to the present Code.

8. Application

The present Code comes into effect immediately, being published for all Company personnel.

Lisbon, on the 29th of September 2017