Policies
Anti-bribery and anti-corruption
Astratech Solutions does not offer, give, request or accept bribes, kickbacks or facilitation payments of any kind, in any country, for any purpose. This policy applies to our directors and staff and to every agent, broker, forwarder, customs house agent and other third party acting on our behalf.
1. Our position
A bribe is anything of value — money, gifts, hospitality, employment, favours, donations — offered or given to influence a decision or to secure an improper advantage. We do not pay them, we do not accept them, and we do not allow anyone acting for us to do either. A contract that can be won only by a bribe is a contract we do not want.
2. The law we work under
In India, the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 makes it an offence to bribe a public servant and, since 2018, an offence for a commercial organisation to fail to prevent bribery on its behalf. Because we trade internationally, the anti-corruption laws of our buyers' countries can also reach our conduct — among them the United Kingdom Bribery Act 2010 and the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act — and we hold ourselves to the stricter standard wherever more than one applies.
3. Public officials
Our work brings us into contact with customs, port, plant-quarantine, food-safety and export-promotion officials in India and at destination. We pay only the official fees published for a service, against an official receipt, and nothing to expedite or influence a decision. A demand for an unofficial payment is refused and reported to management, even where refusal delays a shipment.
4. Gifts and hospitality
Modest, infrequent and openly given business courtesies — a meal during a visit, a token of the season — are acceptable in both directions where they are customary, proportionate and could not be seen to influence a decision. Cash and cash equivalents are never given or accepted. Nothing is offered or accepted while a tender, a contract negotiation, an inspection or a regulatory decision is pending. Gifts and hospitality above a nominal value are recorded.
5. Agents and intermediaries
Agents, brokers and other intermediaries are appointed in writing after due diligence on their ownership, reputation and reason for engagement. They are paid only by bank transfer against invoice, at rates that are reasonable for the service, and their remuneration is disclosed to the buyer on request. An intermediary who cannot explain what a payment is for is not paid.
6. Integrity of inspection and analysis
Inspection bodies and laboratories are chosen by or with the buyer and paid for the service they perform. We never seek to influence a sample, a test or a result, and we report results as issued. Where a result is outside tolerance, the lot is dealt with under our quality and food safety policy, not by a conversation with the inspector.
7. Books and records
Every payment we make or receive is recorded accurately in our accounts against a genuine invoice or contract. We keep no off-book accounts and make no payments that are described as one thing and are in truth another.
8. Raising a concern
Staff, suppliers, buyers and service providers who see or suspect a breach of this policy should write to contact@astratechsolutions.net with the subject line Compliance. Reports are investigated by management, confidentially where the person asks for it, and no one suffers any disadvantage for raising a concern in good faith. A breach by a member of staff is a disciplinary matter; a breach by a third party ends the relationship.