Voran has been in business since 1925 as a responsible company concentrating on offering genuine value creation to its customers, staff, shareholders, dealers and suppliers as well as to the local areas in which Voran is active. Voran is oriented towards the core values of integrity, quality, innovation and committedness, and offers enduring performance standards.

In order to ensure that our suppliers also respect these core values and work in a socially responsible and environmentally compatible way, all Voran suppliers are expected to keep to this Code of Conduct.

 General responsibility

Suppliers are expected to immediately put into practice the measures necessary for implementing this Code of Conduct. Suppliers are also expected to be familiar with the business conduct of their suppliers and sub-contractors and to ensure that they, too, work in accordance with the Code of Conduct. A transgression of this Code of Conduct may lead to business relations being broken off.

The Code of Conduct for Voran suppliers describes our ideas on setting up and cultivating a relationship to people and companies who supply services and products to Voran.

We seek to cooperate only with suppliers who respect our core values and run their business with comparably high standards.

We need your active support for our expansion into new markets to be able to meet the changing needs of our customers. The purchase of materials, systems and services which are globally competitive on quality, delivery dates and price is absolutely essential in today's world.

Over and above this, we need creative input and exchange of opinion as well as the willingness on behalf of our partners to make foresighted investments in plant, equipment and technology. In this way long-lasting strategic relationships can be formed which are mutually beneficial.  

Our Convictions  

We strive for the highest standards on the basis of our core values and business principles. Our convictions show themselves in our company in the following way:

Sincerity, integrity and trust

• We will not tell you lies, deceive you or make promises we cannot keep. If we should make mistakes in communicating with you we will correct them immediately.
• We will respect and treat as confidential your prices, contract conditions or other sensitive information.

Cooperation and partnership

• We will give you sufficient notice of any changes concerning your business operations and discuss them with you.
• We are always open for new ideas to improve our performance.

Obligations and responsibility

• We will fulfil all our obligations and liabilities to you in full.

Open communication

• We will give you requirement forecasts in order to support you in your production planning.
• We will prepare quality / performance analyses so that you can target and prevent potential deficits.
• We will make efforts to use clear, precise language in order to accelerate business operations and to avoid misunderstandings.
• We are open for quality / performance analyses relating to our company as well as for constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement.

We take these obligations very seriously. Please inform our management executive about any breach of these principles. In the case of persistent problems you should consult the responsible purchase manager or business manager directly. Your information will be treated in confidence.

Our expectations on the subject of core values 

Successful business relationships require that we share certain core values. Voran expects that its suppliers adhere to the following core values:

Open communication

• Let us know us in advance of potential problems.
• React without delay to all inquiries and let us know how you will eradicate any quality deficits or delivery problems.
• Take the initiative, put forward your new ideas and sugggestions – do not wait to be asked for them.

Environmental and work protection

• Run your business with foresighted responsibility for the environment.
• Observe all the laws and regulations relating to environmental protection which are valid for you.
• Establish an active environmental and work protection programme and see that it is implemented and carried through. E.g. Work and safety management system in accordance with EN ISO45001:2018 Environmental management system in accordance with EN ISO 14001 : 2015

Use re-usable packaging and recyclable materials in order to minimize waste.

Setting ambitious goals

• Strive for crucial innovations that will bring significant advantages to your company and ours.

Sincerity, integrity and trust

• Always stand behind your obligations (delivery dates, quality, costs, service and continuous improvements) and take responsibility for any non-compliance.
• Never mislead us and do not make us any promises that you know you will not be able to keep, just to get an order or to keep up the business connection.
• Respect the confidentiality of information about us when in the presence of third parties. 

Our expectations with regard to performance 

We expect that you keep to the same high standards of performance as our customers expect from us: 

Quality

• With the tender, acceptance of the order and its implementation, the supplier confirms that he is fully qualified to supply the specified components. (E.g. welding-firm : company certification in accordance with EN ISO 3834-1 2006).
• Fulfil all quality criteria with the target of zero defect quality.
• Implement quality management in order to ensure quality in all processes and procedures. E.g. EN ISO 9001 : 2015 or ISO IATF 16949:2016 (automotive)
• Use reliable quality asurance methods to trace and monitor your processes.
• For every defect carry out a root cause analysis and develop specific corrective measures to prevent a re-occurrence of the defect.

Delivery

• Fulfil every one of your delivery obligations absolutely on deadline.
• Get in touch with us immediately if delays look possible.

Competitive costs

• Offer Voran conditions that are competitive on a global basis and that are lower than for other customers with similar quantities and conditions.
• Set ambitious cost-cutting targets, allow us price rebates based on experience and let Voran share in your successful cost reductions.

Roduct support

• Ensure that you will be able to deliver all parts and services at any time throughout the whole product life – generally at least 10 years.
• Offer appropriate support and prices for parts no longer being manufactured on the basis of your current cost calculation.
• Offer warranties that match our product warranties or exceed them.
• Support the delivery warranties for replacement parts that we offer our customers.

Flexible and guaranteed manufacture

• Make allowances for normal variation in the level of orders.
• Continuously reduce your production cycle times.
• Guarantee the continuing availability of basic products and services in all areas where no alternative source exists.

Stable and healthy finances

• Reinforce your solid financial position with financial statements and inform Voran of significant alterations in your business activities.
• Make sure you have strategic investment capability for new equipment, technology and research and development.  

Access to the supplier

We expect you to allow us access to your company so that we can better assess your core values and performance capability. On the other hand, we are open to showing you our working practices in order to use every opportunity to learn and improve.

Presents and hospitality

We base our business relationships on excellent products and services – not on presents or personal favours. Small gifts may be appropriate as recognition for outstanding performances or on special occasions, but they should be limited to promotional or other articles of only low value. Our staff are required to inform the responsible purchase manager of all presents and invitations that contradict these guidelines. We assume that you will respect this regulation just as we respect the internal regulations of our customers.

Under no circumstances will we accept or distribute presents or favours that compromise your integrity or ours, that are discriminatory or could be considered bribes. Accepting a present may not be taken as an obligation to return a favour.

Conflicts of interest

You should be aware that Voran employees are obliged to avoid the following conflicts of interest: 

• Full- or part-time employment and direct or indirect cooperation with an existing or future supplier.
• Financial interest in a supplier firm which could arouse the appearance of divided loyalty. This guideline does not forbid the possession of shares in larger enterprises as part of a normal investment portfolio.
• Awarding Voran orders to family members or close friends.
• Personal or social relationships with suppliers that go beyond the business framework. If such relationships should develop, however, they are to be reported to the responsible purchase manager or business manager so that a different field of activity can be assigned to the person involved.

Confidentiality

Product and business- or industry-related data, know-how, company secrets, technologies and other knowledge of this kind are core company assets that must be protected. However, it is often necessary to pass on information in confidence. In such a case you are required to sign a non-disclosure agreement in order to protect Voran's intellectual property.

Suppliers are not allowed to use our name in business with third parties without the express permission of the responsible Voran purchase manager. This includes the mention of a business relationship between the supplier and Voran to potential customers or in newpaper articles, industry publications, press releases, advertising materials, presentations or sales literature. Permission is still required when the business relationship with Voran has ceased to exist.

When the business relationship with a supplier comes to an end, the latter is obliged to return immediately all drawings, plans and documents that relate to the activities for Voran. Potential suppliers who put in a tender must give back all the documents which have been made available for this purpose with their final tender.

When you visit a branch of Voran we expect:

• Your signature under a non-disclosure agreement if that has not already been arranged.
• Conduct in accordance with the security briefing you had before entering the premises.
• Respect the confidentiality that we offer our customers and other suppliers or visitors to our sites, as well as the confidential treatment of information about our own or patented processes and product developments.
• No entry to areas that are not open to you without a specific unaccompanied visitor's identity card.
• No removal of documents, product samples or other information without prior agreement with Voran. 

On-site contractors

Contractors who spend long periods of time at Voran are integrated into our firm. We offer them the same trust as our employees. For that reason we expect that they respect our core values and especially our Code of Conduct. Any violations, including false statements or theft, may lead to the cancellation of the contract. Just as important is adherence to our core values relating to environmental protection, health and safety, smoking and parking. In certain cases contractors may be asked to show evidence of their indemnity insurance, accident at work cover and vehicle insurance.

Compliance with regulations

We run our businesses in strict compliance with the valid laws and regulations in each country where we operate. Similarly we expect that our suppliers comply with them, especially all environmental, work protection and health laws and regulations, and anti-trust legislation.

Voran promotes diversity and equal opportunity in the work-place. Discrimination in the work-place is against the law and will not be tolerated. The supplier is therefore also expected to observe all the locally valid laws relating to discrimination when appointing employees and in the work-place.

We hope that this directory helps you to appreciate our principles and business customs. We look forward to a long-term business relationship with you which will be to our mutual benefit.

Alterations to the Code of Conduct for Voran suppliers are published on our website. Supplementary to this are the currently valid general terms and conditions / terms and conditions of purchase / terms and conditions of sale.