Corporate Code of Conduct
LDR Spine/LDR Holding
Purpose:
LDR Spine (“LDR”) is a medical device distributor engaged in the business of
developing, marketing, distributing, and selling spinal implants for human
implantation
in the treatment of spinal injuries and disorders. LDR is committed to
conducting its
business activities ethically and lawfully. This Code of Conduct establishes
policies and
procedures that are intended to guide employees, officers, and directors, and
independent
sales representatives who provide sales and sales support services to LDR in the
performance of their duties and responsibilities and ensure compliance with the
Company's commitment to ethical and lawful conduct as well as compliance with
the
applicable laws and regulations that govern the medical device industry
generally. These
policies and procedures apply to all employees, officers, and directors of LDR
and, to the
extent that have relevance, to the independent sales representatives of LDR,
customers of
LDR, and to all consulting and designing physicians who provide services of any
type to
LDR.
1. Compliance with Laws. LDR will conduct its business affairs and related
activities in compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations and in
accordance
with LDR’s high ethical standards. LDR is aware of the need to ensure compliance
with
those laws, regulations and guidelines which govern LDR’s business as well as
that of its
physician customers, and manufacturer affiliates on whose behalf LDR provides
services.
2. Work Environment. LDR will maintain a safe and drug-free work place
that is free from discrimination based on race, color, creed, religion, gender,
age,
disability, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, armed forces service,
marital or veteran
status, sexual orientation, or any other impermissible factor.
3. Selling Products. LDR is committed to manufacturing, marketing,
distributing, and selling products through its independent and direct sales
representatives
in a safe and legally compliant manner. In connection with the marketing,
distributing,
and selling medical devices and related products, LDR has established and will
comply
with standards that meet or exceed the laws and regulations applicable to such
activities.
4. Competitive Practices. LDR will compete for all business opportunities in
the marketplace vigorously, fairly, ethically, and legally. LDR will comply with
all
antitrust and other laws regulating competition and trade and will not discuss
pricing,
cost, production plans, business strategies, or any other proprietary or
confidential
information with its competitors.
5. Marketing and Sales. LDR will represent its products and services
accurately and will comply with applicable regulatory and legal requirements
governing the marketing and sale of its products and services.
6. Recording and Reporting Information. In recognition of the fact that
accurate information is essential to LDR’s ability to satisfy legal and
regulatory obligations, all employees, officers and directors, independent sales
representatives, and physicians who provide services of any kind to LDR will
record and report all information accurately and honestly. No employee or
director will sign or submit, or permit others to sign or submit on behalf of
LDR, any document or statement that he or she knows or has reason to believe is
false.
7. Payments. Neither LDR nor its employees, directors, officers, or
independent sales representatives will make any improper payments to government
or non-government officials, employees, customers, persons, or entities, nor
will LDR or its employees and directors request or accept any improper payment
from suppliers, customers, or anyone seeking to do business with LDR.
8. Fair Dealing. Each employee, director, officer, and independent sales
representative will deal fairly with LDR’s customers, suppliers, competitors,
affiliates, independent auditors, and other employees and will not take unfair
advantage of anyone through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged
information, misrepresentation of material facts, or any other unfair dealing or
practice.
9. Confidential Information. No employee, director, officer, independent
sales personnel, or physician who provides services of any kind to LDR, will
use, for his or her own personal gain, or disclose to any third party, any
confidential or proprietary information that he or she obtained as a result of
his or her employment with or relationship to LDR. Confidential or proprietary
information includes without limitation all non-public information that might be
of use to competitors or harmful to LDR and its customers if disclosed.
10. Corporate Opportunities. Employees, officers, and directors owe a
duty to LDR to advance its legitimate interests when the opportunity to do so
arises. Such personnel are prohibited from (a) taking for themselves personally
opportunities that are discovered through the use of corporate property,
information, or position, (b) using corporate property, information, or position
for personal gain, or (c) competing with LDR.
11. Conflicts of Interest. No employee or director will engage in any
activity or have any outside interest that might deprive the Company of his or
her loyalty, interfere with the satisfactory performance of his or her duties,
make it difficult to perform his or her duties for the Company objectively and
effectively, or be harmful or detrimental to LDR. Employees and directors must
immediately disclose in writing any actual or potential conflict of interest
that they may have to senior management for resolution. A conflict of interest
occurs when a person's private interest interferes or appears to interfere in
any way with the Company's interests and may also arise when an employee or
director or a member of his or her family receives improper personal benefits as
a result of his or her position with the Company.
Examples of actual or potential conflicts of interest include without limitation
whenever:
(a) An employee or director holds an outside position or is engaged in an
outside activity that affects the performance of his or her work for the
Company.
(b) An employee or director, or any member of his or her family, is employed by,
is a consultant to, or holds an ownership or other interest (other than a
nominal investment in stock of a publicly traded company) in any concern that is
a competitor of the Company, a supplier or dealer for the Company, or is
involved in a joint venture with the Company.
12. Protection and Proper Use of Company Assets. Theft, carelessness, and
waste have a direct impact on the Company's profitability. All employees and
directors will take appropriate actions to protect the Company's assets and
ensure their efficient use for legitimate business purposes.
13. Relationships with Consulting and Designing Physicians. In an effort
to ensure the continuous development and commercialization of new products, as
well as improvements upon existing products, LDR collaborates with members of
the physician community in its design, development, and evaluation activities.
LDR and its employees, officers, and directors will abide by all applicable
laws, regulations, and industry guidelines when contracting with, working with,
compensating, and otherwise reimbursing physicians in connection with their work
for LDR. Internal policies and procedures addressing such activities will be
routinely reviewed and updated as necessary and all LDR personnel will be
trained on the applicable policies and procedures. LDR will not under any
circumstances consider the value or volume of business, if any, generated by any
physician with whom LDR works and LDR will enforce its policies and procedures
regarding interactions with such physicians vigorously and without exception.
14. Disclosure. Patients who receive or are considering receiving LDR
products have a right to know if their physician works with LDR on product
development or related projects. LDR is committed to ensuring that patients have
all information reasonably necessary about LDR and their products to make
informed decisions about their healthcare. Therefore, LDR will make such
disclosure to any health care institution or entity who requests same.
15. Compliance:
(a) Any violation of this Code of Conduct and any implementing policies and
procedures should be reported immediately to the President or executive in
charge. The identity of the person or persons making a report will remain
confidential except on a "need to know" basis. Reporting may be anonymous.
(b) Officers, directors, executives in charge of each division, subsidiary or
operating unit, and other appropriate employees will be required periodically to
confirm in writing that they understand and are complying with these policies
and that they are not aware of any violations of these policies or have properly
reported all violations.
(c) The Company will promptly investigate any alleged violation of these
policies. Violation of a policy, retaliation against any individual for
reporting a violation, or failure to otherwise comply with these policies will
not be tolerated and will result in disciplinary action, including termination
of employment where appropriate.
Questions concerning this Code of Conduct should be directed to the LDR Spine,
Inc. Compliance Officer.
LDR Spine, Inc.’s Corporate Code of Conduct is hereby adopted and made binding
on all employees, officers, directors, and, to the extent applicable,
independent sales representatives of LDR Spine.
AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE:
_____________________________________
Dennis Hynson, CFO and Compliance Officer
Effective as of January 1, 2008
Acknowledgement of Receipt and
Certification
I certify that:
(a) I have read and understand the LDR Spine, Inc. Corporate Code of Conduct.
(b) I am not in violation of any of the policies contained in the Code of
Conduct and I am not aware of any violation that has not been reported in
accordance with the procedures set forth in the Code.
(c) I understand that failure to comply with the Code of Conduct may result in
disciplinary action, including termination of employment, and that a violation
of the Code of Conduct may also constitute a violation of law that may result in
civil or criminal penalties for me and/or LDR Spine, Inc. I will abide by and
support the policies set forth in the LDR Spine, Inc. Code of Conduct. I further
understand that my agreement to comply with the Code of Conduct does not
constitute a contract of employment or other guarantee with respect to my
current or any future position with LDR Spine, Inc.
Signature:
______________________________
Printed Name:
______________________________
Date:
______________________________
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