Corporate social responsibility

Our approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability is embedded in our vision, mission and strategy. What we do and who we are as a company are naturally linked.

We want to create value for our customers, key stakeholders, COWI and the society, and we do this by enabling our customers to meet their sustainability ambitions and thus make the societies in which we operate more sustainable and more liveable.

We have a three-pronged approach, which integrates CSR and sustainability:

• Business conduct: The way we carry out our own activities.
• Employee behaviour: The way we behave at the workplace and our obligation to act.
• Business deliverables: The way we ensure that the solutions we design for customers take environmental and societal impacts into consideration.
• Our commitment is reflected in our endorsement of the UN Global Compact as well as our support to the Code of Ethics of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC).
• Go to COWI's Sustainability reports

Policies and guidelines on sustainability and CSR sets out the overall framework for how we work on a day-to-day basis including:

• The Occupational Health and safety policy
• COWI Group quality policy
• Business integrity policy 
• Code of conduct for suppliers
• Data ethics policy

WHISTLEBLOWER

A whistleblower system has been established to prevent violations of internal procedures and legislation.

The whistleblower consists of a website that can be used to provide information on serious violations of internal procedures and legislation.

• Go to the COWI Whistleblower reporting site

GUIDELINE ON WHISTLEBLOWER

COWI wishes to maintain a high standard of business ethics and encourages anyone to talk to their line manager on concerns regarding business ethics. If they feel uncomfortable doing so they can use the COWI Hotline on anti-corruption and business ethics also called Whistleblower.

TO MEET OUR OBJECTIVES, WE WILL:

Ensure that any concerns raised through the Whistleblower are investigated and appropriate action taken.

Allow everyone, including employees, former employees, sub-contractors, agency staff and business partners to use the Whistleblower.

Allow Whistleblower notifications within:

• Violations of law, regulations and internal policies
• Misbehaviours with regard to accounting and auditing
• Fraud, theft and conflict of interest
• Improper giving or receiving gifts
• Discrimination and harassment
• Violation of environmental protection, health and safety law.

Make the Whistleblower publicly available.

Continuously train our employees in maintaining our culture of integrity and honesty and inform them of the Whistleblower.

UK MODERN SLAVERY ACT

We act with credibility and integrity in all respects, and consequently we are committed to fighting modern slavery and human trafficking in our business and supply chain.

• Read more about COWI UK Limited's Modern Slavery Act Statement 2018
• Read more about COWI Holding A/S's Modern Slavery Act Statement 2018

COWI's values are based on credibility and integrity. Actions that may put these values at risk are unacceptable. COWI has thus adopted FIDIC Code of Ethics.

The International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) recognises that the work of the consulting engineering industry is critical to the achievement of sustainable development of society and the environment.

To be fully effective not only must engineers constantly improve their knowledge and skills, but also society must respect the integrity and trust the judgement of members of the profession and remunerate them fairly.

All member associations of FIDIC subscribe to and believe that the following principles are fundamental to the behaviour of their members if society is to have that necessary confidence in its advisors.

COWI has adopted The International Federation of Consulting Engineers, FIDIC Code of Ethics, which reads as follows:

Responsibility to society and the consulting industry

The consulting engineer shall:

• Accept the responsibility of the consulting industry to society.
• Seek solutions that are compatible with the principles of sustainable development.
• At all times uphold the dignity, standing and reputation of the consulting industry.

Competence

The consulting engineer shall:

• Maintain knowledge and skills at levels consistent with development in technology, legislation and management, and apply due skill, care and diligence in the services rendered to the client.
• Perform services only when competent to perform them.

Integrity

The consulting engineer shall:

• Act at all times in the legitimate interest of the client and provide all services with integrity and faithfulness.

Impartiality

The consulting engineer shall:

• Be impartial in the provision of professional advice, judgement or decision.
• Inform the client of any potential conflict of interest that might arise in the performance of services to the client.
• Not accept remuneration which prejudices independent judgement.

Fairness to others

The consulting engineer shall:

• Promote the concept of “Quality-Based Selection” (QBS).
• Neither carelessly nor intentionally do anything to injure the reputation or business of others.
• Neither directly nor indirectly attempt to take the place of another consulting engineer, already appointed for a specific work.
• Not take over the work of another consulting engineer before notifying the consulting engineer in question, and without being advised in writing by the client of the termination of the prior appointment for that work.
• In the event of being asked to review the work of another, behave in accordance with appropriate conduct and courtesy.

Corruption

The consulting engineer shall:

• Neither offer nor accept remuneration of any kind which in perception or in effect either a) seeks to influence the process of selection or compensation of consulting engineers and/or their clients or b) seeks to affect the consulting engineer’s impartial judgement.
• Co-operate fully with any legitimately constituted investigative body which makes inquiry into the administration of any contract for services or construction.