Respect for Human Rights
Respect for human rights, diversity, and inclusion, as well as the commitment against any form of discrimination, have always characterized Saras' way of operating. In line with national and international regulations, the Group has expressed its commitment to respecting human rights within its Code of Ethics and Policies, particularly in the Human Rights Protection Policy, and works to promote them in all its controlled companies.
The Group also safeguards human rights along the supply chain of goods and services necessary for the activities of each of its controlled entities through careful assessments of the suitability of suppliers of goods and services (non-oil). In addition to verifying technical and economic capabilities, supplier companies must comply with regulations in the areas of human rights, health, safety, and the environment.
Saras Group shares with companies the Human Rights Protection Policy, its Code of Ethics, and the Sustainability Policy, demanding respect for the values contained in these documents and thus promoting human rights protection. Specifically, during the 2023 fiscal year, no incidents of discrimination were reported.
Regarding the screening of risks related to human rights respect, Saras has not identified any critical issues internally, and this result was also confirmed by the 2023 materiality analysis, which revealed that the issue of human rights respect is not material for the Group.
Specifically, concerning the respect and protection of workers' human rights (child labor, forced labor, etc.), in addition to the principles of the Code of Ethics and Policies, full guarantee is provided by the laws in force in the countries where the Group operates - namely Italy, Spain, and Switzerland. These laws are indeed in line with the principles contained in the International Bill of Human Rights, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, the Fundamental Conventions of the International Labour Organization, and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Prevention of corruption
Saras condemns corruption in all its forms and is committed to promoting the legality and ethics of business.
The Group has therefore long had a Code of Ethics and a Regulatory System consistent with it; since 2015, it has included in its Organizational Model the crimes of corruption provided for by Legislative Decree 231/2001; and since 2014 has formalised a Group Anti-Corruption Guideline, which addresses and describes behaviours and processes also in the field of corruption and fraud prevention.
The Anti-Corruption Compliance Guideline aims to provide a systematic framework of reference on anti-corruption, designed and implemented to prevent corruption in relations with public or private entities, as well as to ensure compliance with the anti-corruption laws in force in the individual countries in which the Group companies operate. It sets out the rules of conduct, the general principles of control, identifies the main risks, sensitive areas and specific control principles for these areas.
The Compliance Guideline on Fraud Prevention completes the framework for addressing ethical issues, framing the concept of "fraud" in the business context, providing the general principles of control, indicating the actions for the prevention, detection and management of fraudulent conduct, the sensitive areas, and the specific control principles for these areas.
Regarding these issues, there is a channel for communicating and managing reports concerning potential irregularities (alleged violations of laws, the Group's Code of Ethics, the Organisational Model and the provisions of the company's Regulatory System) defined in a specific procedural document.
Since December 2022, following the entry into force of the EU Whistleblowing Directive 2019/1937, the whistleblowing system has been integrated with a Whistleblowing Platform (produced by a market leader company specialising in the management of protected whistleblowing systems) accessible from the website of the parent company Saras and from the websites of its subsidiaries, to employees, suppliers, customers, partners or other external stakeholders, which guarantees the stringent requirements imposed by the new legislation.
Suppliers and procurement management
In our growth, suppliers have always been a fundamental partner with which to cultivate a relationship based on respect, loyalty, impartiality, equal opportunities, and the achievement of the maximum competitive advantage.
To meet this commitment “Procurement Process Guidelines” were issued, codifying for all the companies of the Group, the various phases and activities of the Procurement process for both goods & materials, and for contracts, services & consultancies. The Guidelines also codify the qualification process of the suppliers, and their regular monitoring. Moreover, the guidelines also provide precise rules and identify the roles and responsibilities of the main parties involved in the Procurement process.
The Group regularly discloses the Code of Ethics to all its suppliers, business partners and external collaborators and calls for its compliance when carrying out supply activities.
The Saras supply chain comprises two types of procurement:
- raw materials (mainly crude oil and also other complementary feedstock or semi-finished products), in the process of buying which the group respects all national and international laws concerning oil trades.
- goods and services needed to conduct, in complete safety and regularity, all the activities of the various business segments in which the Group operates.
Technological innovation
Saras believes that technological innovation is one of the most important strategic levers to continue to play a leading role in the country's energy landscape, remaining competitive in the international context and pursuing the objectives of the Energy Transition.
The oil refining and electricity generation sectors, in which the Group operates, are of cardinal importance for the regional, national and international economic system. Technological innovation is crucial in the search for appropriate solutions to increase process efficiency, reduce consumption and losses, increase the quality of refined products and optimize processes.
In addition, technological innovation is a crucial element in the search for appropriate solutions designed to increase operational efficiency, reduce consumption, losses and disoptimisations, while increasing quality of the refined products. As such, Saras carries out industrial development activities aimed at achieving operational excellence and maximizing value creation, in the interests of all shareholders and in compliance with the highest safety standards for employees, the community and the region.
The industrial site managed by Sarlux in the Sarroch area is one of the most evolved at European level, with regards to integrated refining plants. It has technologically cutting-edge, flexible, versatile and high- conversion units. It’s integrated, since 2001, with an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) plant that produces electricity and provides the refinery with large quantities of hydrogen and steam.