Compliance

At GLS Portugal we attach great importance to compliance with the law and the ethical standards that are part of our values.
This is also our responsibility as a subsidiary of a group in which we have the motto: Zero tolerance for corruption.

In this way, we can guarantee reliable cooperation and also be part of a fairer and more sustainable business fabric.

To systematically identify and mitigate compliance risks, GLS has implemented a series of mandatory measures across the group:

Competition law
Anti-corruption
Law of modern slavery
Economic sanctions
Prevention of money laundering
Crime prevention model
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In order to strengthen the relationship and trust of customers, employees, suppliers, business partners and society in general, the GLS Group has implemented the Code of Conduct which establishes both the main values and standards of behavior of the company that are binding on the entire personal. The GLS Code of Conduct forms the basis for all business decisions and governs responsible interaction with all stakeholders.

Download the code of conduct
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For GLS, established standards of conduct are important at all levels. We expect our suppliers and business partners to comply with this Code, implement it with appropriate measures and integrate it into their business processes

Download Supplier Code of Conduct
 

Whistleblower Protection

We at GLS are committed to clear ethical principles. This is a pillar of our success as a business. All GLS staff bears responsibility for GLS living up to its principles; quite often, it is the misconduct of just a few that badly reflects on the reputation of a business as a whole. Hence, it is crucial for GLS to get notified of potential misconduct of its staff, its suppliers or third parties as early as possible so that we can quickly act on it and efficiently remedy the situation.

Effective, on 18 June 2022, Law 93/2021, which transposed to Portugal the Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council, came into force (https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/detalhe/lei/93-2021-176147929). This Act obliges GLS to establish an internal reporting channel. Through this internal reporting channel, whistleblowers can inform GLS of potential work-related misconduct. Whistleblowers may use the internal reporting channel to report offences related, specifically but not exclusively, to:

  • Bribery and corruption (and related offences, i.e. receiving and offering an undue advantage, embezzlement, economic participation in business, extortion, abuse of power, prevarication, influence peddling, laundering or fraud in obtaining or diverting a subsidy, grant or credit)
  • Competition law
  • Conflicts of interest
  • Financial services, products and markets
  • Food safety and quality issues
  • Fraud
  • Harassment and discrimination
  • International trade controls
  • Other breaches of the code of conduct
  • Personal data protection and network and information systems security
  • Rights and protection of individuals
  • Environmental damage
  • Consumer protection
  • Public procurement
  • Corporate tax rules
  • Transport safety

Reports which concern the offences detailed above will be treated with the utmost confidentiality to maximize the protection of whistleblowers and those mentioned in the report. In addition, Law n.º 93/2021 protects whistleblowers against any form of retaliation.

However, please be advised that, as a whistleblower, you will only benefit from the protections guaranteed by the Act if you had, at the time of submitting the report, sufficient reason to assume that your report was true. You are not protected if you submit a report that you know to be untrue.

Please contact the internal reporting channel via EQS Integrity Line: https://gls.integrityline.app/

Besides contacting the internal reporting channel, you also have the possibility to contact the relevant authorities directly (external reporting). The relevant authorities are:

  • The Public Prosecutor’s Office;
  • The national police;
  • The Bank of Portugal;
  • Independent administrative authorities;
  • Public institutes;
  • General inspectorates and similar entities and other central services of the state’s direct administration with administrative autonomy;
  • Local Authorities; and
  • Public associations.

If the report is submitted to an incompetent authority, it is forwarded ex officio to the competent authority, notifying the whistleblower, in which case the date of receipt of the report is deemed to be the date on which the competent authority receives it.

Provided that your report fulfils the requirements of Law 93/2021, we would like to inform you that you also have the option of submitting an external report in the following situations:

  • if you have reasonable grounds to believe that the offence cannot be effectively known or resolved internally or that there is a risk of retaliation;
  • if you initially made an internal report through the internal channel without being informed of the measures envisaged or adopted following the report within the legally prescribed time limits;
  • if the offence constitutes a criminal offence or an administrative offence punishable by a fine of more than €50,000.
  • Do you have any questions in relation to the above? Please feel free to email us at compliance@gls-portugal.com.