A guide for contractors, consultants, suppliers, tenderers and business partners

Business ethical standards and requirements

The Statement of Business Ethics provides guidelines on what you can expect when conducting business with UAC. The UAC Code of Conduct requires our employees to maintain high standards of integrity and ethical conduct. UAC will conduct all business dealings with you in a fair, honest and consistent manner.

The Statement also sets out your obligations when conducting business with UAC. UAC requires all providers of goods and services and business partners to observe the principles outlined in this Statement.

What you can expect from us

UAC requires its employees to:

• act with high ethical standard
• strive for excellence in our work and services
• deal fairly and honestly with our vendors, business partners and service providers
• treat our business partners with courtesy, dignity and without favour
• communicate intentions clearly and encourage collaboration and teamwork
• respond to reasonable requests for advice and information without delay
• comply with UAC policies and procedures
• encourage fair and open competition while seeking value for money
• protect commercial-in-confidence information
• ask questions when they have doubts about whether something is right
• report issues that do not seem right
• disclose any situation that involves or could be perceived to involve a conflict of interest
• decline gifts, financial benefits or other benefits from a supplier for performing official duties
• call tenders when UAC has a firm intention to proceed to contract.

What we expect from you

All providers of goods and services and business partners are expected to observe the following principles when doing business with UAC:

• comply with the conditions and requirements stated in documents supplied by UAC
• provide accurate, concise and reliable advice and information when required
• act ethically and honestly in all dealings with UAC
• comply with UAC tendering procedures
• not engage in collusive practices, including offering UAC employees or their contractors and consultants any inducements or incentives designed to improperly influence the conduct of their duties
• disclose any actual or perceived conflicts of interest and report any unethical behaviour immediately
• prevent the disclosure of privileged or confidential information
• not discuss UAC business information with the media without prior approval of UAC
• ensure that all contractors you engage to perform work for UAC are aware of and are required to comply with the UAC Statement of Business Ethics, and their obligations with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• not assume you have a claim to intellectual property unless the contract has been negotiated to address the issue.

Why you should comply

Not complying with UAC business ethical standards and requirements could lead to:

• termination of contracts
• loss of future work and reputation
• investigation for corruption
• matters being referred for criminal investigation.

Who to contact

If you have any questions regarding this Statement or, you wish to provide information about a suspected fraud, or a possible breach of the UAC's business ethics, or about any conduct that could involve maladministration, corrupt conduct, serious or substantial waste, email ethics@uac.edu.au.