Our Team Code of Conduct

Introduction

AJT is made up of a diverse collection of talented and passionate language and communication lovers. We work with many of the world’s most successful brands, delivering gold standard translation services. We are judged not only by the work we produce, but also by how we conduct ourselves. As a company we are professional, respectful and honest. We conduct our business with the highest standards of social and environmental integrity. As individuals, we are what makes Team AJT, and this means that each of us – individually – has to live up to those values.

While our employment and in-house remote contracts provide the legal framework of our business relationship, our Code of Conduct outlines the minimum standards of professional conduct that we expect from all our team members. A Code of Conduct is a set of principles that helps guide our actions and attitudes, and it reflects the values of our Code of Ethics. It helps us to comply with the law and to conduct ourselves to the very best of our ability, whether dealing with colleagues, clients or our communities.

Ethical principles

We are committed to act in a socially responsible and ethical way. All of our actions and behaviours must comply with all applicable international, national and local laws and contractual terms.

Environmental principles

We take the environmental impact of our operations very seriously and work hard to reduce our impact as far as possible. We must ensure that our activities have a minimal impact on the environment. We strive to operate as environmentally responsibly and efficiently as possible. We encourage all our team members to use their best efforts to reduce or eliminate emissions generated by their activities, to preserve natural resources, to avoid or minimise the use of hazardous substances, and when possible to promote waste reuse or recycling.

Social principles

We promote an environment that is free from all forms of discrimination and value the diversity of all people. We are all humans beings and we all deserve to be treated as such. We treat everyone, including clients, other team members, suppliers and other stakeholders, with the utmost respect, courtesy, honesty and fairness. We do not discriminate against anyone based on their race, caste, nationality, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, union or political membership.

We do not tolerate sexual advances, racial or religious slurs, actions, comments or any other conduct in the workplace that creates an intimidating or otherwise offensive or hostile environment. Each of us has a responsibility to ensure that our company remains an environment free of hostility. If we see any behaviour that’s inconsistent with this policy, we raise it with our line manager or the management team.

Professional principles

Honesty, trust and mutual respect

We pride ourselves on building long-lasting relationships with our clients and suppliers; relationships that are based on honesty, trust and mutual respect. Our mission is to help our customers achieve theirs: to succeed internationally. We therefore consider our customers’ goals as if they were our own. There is no ‘us’ or ‘them’. We all work together to fulfil our collective missions.

A proactive attitude

Each of us has the power and the responsibility to effect change in our company. Regardless of our position in the company or how long we’ve been part of the team, we are all equally responsible for taking action if something isn’t quite right.

We believe that we do our best work when we feel in control of our environment and take charge of our destiny. When we face a problem at work, we think of it as a challenge we can tackle and overcome, rather than a problem that is happening to us. If we spot a problem or a potential issue, and regardless of whether it affects us directly or not, we take ownership and work proactively to find a solution. If we can’t solve a problem on our own, we seek help from others.

Asking for help

It’s okay to ask others for help and very much part and parcel of teamwork. If we need help with our work, we raise the alarm early to allow enough time to find a solution together. We try to be as specific as we can when asking for help; we think about who might be best placed to help us and what exactly we would like them to do.

Looking after ourselves and each other

We believe that we produce our best work when we feel happy, well looked after and are well rested. We take responsibility for looking after our own mental and physical wellbeing, as well as looking out for our colleagues. We are kind, compassionate and understanding. We know we can ask for support and are encouraged to do so, and we know we will be listened to.

Keeping our own and our customers’ data safe

As part of our work, we are entrusted with confidential information. Confidential information includes all non-public information that, if disclosed improperly, might be of use to our competitors, or harmful to our company or our clients. Here are some examples of confidential information:

  • Any information relating to pricing (e.g. what we charge our customers, what we pay our translators)
  • Contact information such as emails, addresses, phone numbers
  • Customer documents
  • Information about a customer’s upcoming launch of a new product and related marketing campaigns

We maintain the confidentiality of the information entrusted to us by AJT and our clients. Protecting non-public company information is especially important. Unauthorised use or release of information regarding plans, strategies, costs or prices or financial performance could jeopardise our company’s competitive position and should be kept confidential at all times.

We only use the materials (e.g. documents, video files, images) entrusted to us by our clients to carry out our work. We do not use any of our clients’ materials for personal use, and we never share our clients’ materials with anyone outside of our organisation, other than for the purposes of carrying out our work.

The best way to keep information confidential is to follow the rules set out in our employment and in-house remote contracts as well as our policies on data protection, remote working and password management.

Avoiding conflicts of interest

A conflict of interest occurs when our private interests interfere in any way – or even appear to interfere – with the interests of the company as a whole. Each of us has a responsibility to avoid activities which conflict or appear to conflict with our job responsibilities or the interests of AJT. Here are some examples of conflicts of interest:

  • Engaging in employment or any other activity that interferes with our ability to devote the required time and attention to our work at AJT
  • Holding a significant financial interest in a current or prospective customer or competitor of AJT, or serving as an employee, supplier, consultant or director of such a business
  • Using or disclosing confidential company information other than for AJT purposes
  • Improperly using AJT assets for personal benefit or the benefit of others

We avoid any activity, investment or interest that could create a conflict between our interests and the best interests of AJT.

Agreeing to our Team Code of Conduct