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Responsibility to Our Partners and Customers

Trust is the foundation of every customer, partner, and company relationship. To build long-lasting business relationships, we follow the law and treat our customers the way we would want to be treated ourselves: in an open, honest, and respectful manner. We empower our customers and partners to make informed decisions about the products and services we offer and to select what best meets their needs and circumstances.

Business Partners

We value the trusted relationships we have with our business partners who share our commitment to ethics and compliance, inclusion, human rights, environmental sustainability, and fair dealing.

Our Responsibilities:

  • We’re committed to maintaining our reputation and only work with suppliers, customers, and other business partners committed to doing business ethically.
  • We conduct each business relationship with honesty, fairness, mutual respect, and nondiscrimination.
  • We never take advantage of our business partners through manipulation, concealment, misuse of confidential information, misrepresentation of facts, or any other unfair dealing or practice.
  • We never collude with business partners to take advantage of others.
  • We select business partners based on objective criteria and the value they bring to Assurant, not due to personal relationships or friendships. We also ensure that they understand our standards for high performance in ethics and compliance in addition to their contractual obligations.
  • We’re alert to any signs that a business partner is violating applicable laws or regulations.
  • We promptly disclose any situation that may appear to involve a conflict of interest.
  • We protect the confidential and proprietary information of our business partners.
  • We complete applicable due diligence on prospective suppliers and customers before entering into contracts, and we follow our Procurement, Anti-Bribery & Corruption, and Third Party Risk Management policies. See the Vendor Risk Management Policy in the United States and the Assurant Europe Group Third Party Risk Management Policy in the United Kingdom/Europe. For all other countries, see the relevant policies.
  • We seek to understand and follow all relevant conflict minerals regulations in any country in which we do business.

Privacy and Data Protection

We’re successful when our customers trust us to protect their privacy and use their data in the ways that they permit us. We protect and respect the privacy of our employees, customers, clients, partners, and other third parties who entrust us with their personal information.

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Our Responsibilities:

Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing, and Economic Sanctions

We’re committed to preventing criminals from abusing our business systems and processes to further unlawful activities. Assurant employees must follow appropriate due diligence procedures designed to prevent someone from using our company to disguise criminal transactions or engage in any type of money laundering activity. Further, Assurant screens third parties to ensure we don’t transact with individuals or entities listed on applicable sanctions and/or terrorist watchlists. If you’re concerned about the reputation of any third party seeking to do business or doing business with Assurant, contact Compliance or the Ethics Office.

We all have a role to play in helping to prevent criminals from using Assurant’s products and services. This includes an obligation to know our customers, identify and escalate suspicious activity, maintain required documentation throughout a business relationship, and prevent activities with sanctioned countries, people, or businesses.

Fair Competition and Antitrust

We seek competitive advantage through superior performance, never through illegal or unethical business practices. We comply with all applicable fair competition and antitrust laws everywhere we operate.

Our Responsibilities:

  • We don’t suggest or engage in any actions, understandings, or agreements that try to or could limit competition among competitors (such as fixing prices or dividing up markets).
  • We avoid any kind of contact or discussion with competitors that could create the appearance of impropriety and never share or discuss competitively sensitive information. If we come across these situations, we promptly end them and notify Legal and Compliance immediately.
  • We don’t take advantage of our market position.
  • We only use, obtain, accept, or receive information about competitors, customers, and suppliers to which Assurant is entitled.

Q&A

What is competitive intelligence and how does it apply to me and my job?

Generally, competitive intelligence refers to the ability to gather, analyze, and use information collected on competitors, customers, and other market factors that contribute to a business’ competitive advantage. Please contact your Compliance Officer or Legal for assistance in determining whether the competitive intelligence you have is appropriate to use.

Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption

Assurant is committed to conducting its business fairly, honorably, with integrity, and in compliance with the law in all jurisdictions where it operates, including all applicable anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws. Assurant has a zero-tolerance policy approach to any form of bribery and corruption. Our success depends on the superiority of our products and services, and never as a result of bribery or other means of corruption. Our values don’t permit corrupt acts or payments as a means to gain or retain business for or on our behalf — even if that means losing or walking away from a business transaction.

Our Responsibilities:

  • We never offer, promise to provide, or give anything of value to anyone in order to gain a business advantage as described in our Anti-Bribery and Corruption policy.
  • We follow due diligence procedures before hiring a third party.
  • We don’t ask a third party to do something that we ourselves are prohibited from doing.
  • We keep thorough and complete records of all transactions with third parties according to our Records and Information Management Policy.
  • We don’t enter into verbal contractual relationships with third parties unless in consultation with Legal.
  • We don’t provide business courtesies, including gifts, entertainment, and/or hospitality, to government officials or their families without complying with our Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy.

Q&A

Is the risk of bribery and corruption a big deal at Assurant?

Bribery and corruption risks are a concern worldwide, and such risks can undermine the health and viability of Assurant and the environments where we operate, can greatly damage our reputation, and can result in severe fines and criminal proceedings.

Interacting with Government Officials

Assurant follows the highest ethical standards when conducting business with government officials. Assurant strictly prohibits any promise, offer, or provision of anything of value to any government official for the purpose of improperly obtaining or retaining business, influencing action, or obtaining any form of improper benefit. We comply with all applicable laws when involved in public policy matters and when developing and maintaining relationships with government officials.

Our Responsibilities:

  • We maintain objectivity and avoid bias in decision-making processes and reflecting our values, without interference from foreign or domestic government or government affiliated/aligned entities and individuals
  • We don’t offer, promise, make, or authorize the giving of anything of value to a government official, directly or indirectly, through family members, close associates, brokers, agents, attorneys, contractors, or other business partners that’s inconsistent with our Code and Anti-Bribery and Corruption policy.
  • We prohibit even small facilitation payments and, if requested by a government official to provide one, we immediately contact Compliance.
  • We cooperate fully with all government and regulatory agency audits and investigations.
  • Consistent with the company’s Political Activities Policy Statement, we each have the right to participate in the political process on our own time and at our own expense, but may not use Assurant resources for political purposes or contributions without prior approval from Legal. Additional rules may apply to your line of business or role with Assurant.

Import, Export and Anti-Boycott Laws

As a global company, we’re committed to complying with laws and regulations governing the import and export of Assurant products, services, technologies, and information everywhere we operate. To deliver on our commitments, we always know what we’re importing and exporting, who the parties in the transaction are, and the origin/destination of our goods.

Our Responsibilities:

  • We comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and restrictions relating to import, export, sanctions, boycotts, and embargoes.
  • We ensure that all cross-border transactions comply with these requirements.
  • Before we engage in these activities, we consult with local import/export support or the Corporate Compliance team.
  • We only use Assurant-approved third parties, including customs brokers and logistics providers.
  • We ensure information provided to any customs official or to any agent hired to facilitate Assurant imports and exports is accurate and truthful.
  • We report any concerns about customs payments that seem suspicious or out of the ordinary.
  • We maintain records of all import and export transactions according to our Records and Information Management policy.

Q&A

I am involved with shipping mobile devices out of the country. What should I know?

Some products or technologies may require an export or an import license before shipment, and certain technical information may be controlled and not allowed to be posted on the internet or attached to an email. Local law might prohibit a sale altogether. These obligations can’t be avoided by using a third party that would deliver the company’s products to a forbidden destination, person, or entity.

I’ve found a new supplier to provide mobile device parts at lower-than-market rates. What should I do?

Before purchasing parts, work with Procurement to get a contract in place. By engaging Procurement early, we can screen the supplier to ensure it's legitimate and its parts comply with chain of custody and conflict minerals regulations.

Every day, we strive to raise the bar on what it means to do business honestly and ethically, and it’s our commitment to do so with each other, our business partners and our customers.