At Consolidated
Communications, we’re committed to the highest standards of legal and ethical
business conduct. Our
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics summarizes the legal, ethical and regulatory
standards we follow and is a reminder to our directors, officers, employees,
customers and vendors of our obligation to uphold this commitment.
We have built our
business on standards of excellence and quality in services and products. Our
employees and representatives adhere to the highest standards of honesty,
ethics and fairness in their business dealings, contributing to a culture of
compliance and accountability. “Integrity First” is the pillar of our company
values. Our culture is built on trust. Honesty, accountability, and
transparency are how we build relationships and serve our customers.
We place the highest
value on the integrity of our directors, officers and employees and demand the
same level of integrity in all business transactions. We insist on ethical
dealings with others and on the swift, transparent handling of actual or
apparent conflicts of interest within personal and professional relationships.
Directors, officers and
employees are required to deal honestly and fairly with our customers,
collaborators, competitors and third parties in all interactions. In our
dealings with customers and suppliers, we prohibit making or receiving bribes,
kickbacks or any other improper payment, direct or indirect, to any
representative of government, labor union, customer or supplier in order to
obtain a contract, commercial benefit or government action.
When an ethical issue or
concern needs to be addressed with a supervisor, we respond quickly and have
built an environment where difficult discussions can take place and questions
may be asked without the fear of retribution or retaliation. Information on
reporting and access for anyone who wishes to report a suspected violation are
clearly defined and available to all stakeholders via our investor relations
website:
ir.consolidated.com.
If it is determined that
our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics was violated, Consolidated
Communications will take the necessary corrective action to address and to
correct the violation.
Consolidated’s Code of
Business Conduct and Ethics responsibilities are managed by the company’s Chief
Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary. Our Board of Directors and Audit
Committee have established the standards of business conduct contained in the
Code and oversee compliance.
In 2022, Consolidated
had no fines, settlements of enforcement actions related to unfair or deceptive
practices, nor any related to violations of bribery, corruption or
anti-competitive standards.