CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

ENSURING TRANSPARENCY AND INTEGRITY IN SQUAD

SQUAD has established a process to review and prevent actual or apparent conflicts of interest. It provides requirements for disclosing potential conflicts of interest and the process for obtaining a conflict-of-interest review. It applies to all SQUAD organization and entity employees, contract labor, consultants, and others acting for the company. The process for reviewing conflicts of interest involves a thorough assessment of the situation, considering factors such as financial interests, personal relationships, and outside activities that may influence an individual’s objectivity or decision-making. Employees and relevant parties are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest in a timely manner using designated channels or forms provided by SQUAD. The disclosed information is treated with utmost confidentiality and reviewed by designated personnel, including the Ethics and Compliance team, to determine the extent of the conflict and potential mitigation measures.

DIFINATIONS

Immediate Family Member—includes an employee’s spouse, domestic partner, child or stepchild, parent, parent-in-law, sibling, and anyone sharing the employee’s household (other than a tenant or employee).
Relative—includes an employee’s grandparents, spouse’s grandparents, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, stepsiblings, half-siblings, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces and cousins.
Financial Interest or Financial Involvement—may include transactions involving cash, securities, loans, forgiveness of debt, non-cash trades or benefits, or ownership interests.
Passive Investment—a purely financial involvement in an organization for which the employee performs no managerial functions, provides no advice and has no ability to influence the policies, products, or business of the outside organization. Passive investments include ownership of shares in a public or private company, whether held individually or as an investment in a stock mutual fund or stock market index fund.
Substantial interest—a financial investment that is more than 1% of the total outstanding class of securities/capital value of an entity or represents more than 5% of the personal net worth of the employee, the employee’s family members, or others with whom the SQUAD employee has a close personal relationship.

Senior SQUAD Officers—are SQUAD Principal Vice Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents and Directors.

BACKGROUND

A conflict of interest exists whenever an employee’s personal interests are inconsistent with —i.e., conflict with — the interests of SQUAD. While employed at SQUAD, an employee’s primary business loyalty must lie with SQUAD. As a result, an employee must not engage in activities outside of work that create a possible conflict of interest between an employee’s and SQUAD’s best interest. An actual conflict of interest need not exist to constitute a violation of the SQUAD standards of conduct. Activities that create the appearance of conflict of interest must also be avoided.

INSTRCUTION

I. GENERAL GUIDELINES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Employees must fully disclose through the conflict of interest review process any activity or transaction that might give rise to a conflict of interest, or even the appearance of a conflict of interest. In some cases, an employee may not realize that a conflict exists until he or she is already engaged in the activity. In such cases, the employee should contact Ethics and Compliance as soon as the employee becomes aware that the potential for conflict exists. If known by the employee, the same information must be disclosed to immediate family members or relatives.
If an employee is unsure about whether a contemplated activity might constitute a potential conflict of interest, the employee should contact the organization’s ethics and compliance officer for guidance concerning whether disclosure through the conflict of interest review process is required.
Upon completion of a conflict of interest review, the ethics and compliance officer will issue a conflict of interest determination, the process for which is described below.

II. CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURE AND REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. Conflicts of interest may arise in a number of circumstances. These may include:

Having a financial interest, in any supplier, subcontractor, customer or competitor, where the SQUAD employee can influence, or has the appearance of influence over, business dealings or decisions affecting that entity, except a passive interest as described in Section IV.3 below.
Ownership, directly or indirectly, of a substantial interest in, or having effective control of, a client, subcontractor, supplier, or other service firm that is currently or potentially doing business with or in competition with SQUAD, or with a present or prospective SQUAD client.
Acting as an employee, officer, director, partner, consultant, representative, agent, auditor, or advisor of a SQUAD competitor, supplier, customer, partner, contractor, or subcontractor, except when so acting at the request of SQUAD.
Misusing or engaging in unapproved disclosures of proprietary or confidential information.
Using or diverting SQUAD’s know-how, internal information, equipment, tools, materials, supplies or the time and services of its personnel for any purpose not compatible with SQUAD’s best interests.
Participating in a focus group or survey and sharing SQUAD know-how where the ultimate beneficiary of the information is unknown.
Dealing directly, in the course of normal company responsibilities, with an immediate family member, relatives, or others with whom the SQUAD employee has a close personal relationship who are employed by a supplier, vendor, customer, or competitor of SQUAD.
Serving as a board member for an outside entity, except when such board service is:
- At the request of SQUAD;
- For an industry or professional association; or
- For a not-for-profit entity whose activities are unrelated to SQUAD business or activities, and which does not seek or receive funding from SQUAD, a SQUAD-sponsored organization, or the SQUAD Foundation.
- Having a personal financial involvement with an employee or representative of a supplier, customer, or competitor of SQUAD with whom the SQUAD employee interacts in a business capacity for SQUAD.
- Using Squad property, information or assets or an employee’s position with SQUAD for personal gain.
- Directly or indirectly owning, trading or dealing in real estate, materials, supplies, equipment or other property with the intent of selling or renting to SQUAD, or its clients.
- Acting as a consultant, advisor, or expert witness in a legal process, such as a lawsuit, administrative proceeding, mediation, arbitration, dispute resolution, government or private investigation, rule-making procedure, or similar process, unless acting at the request of SQUAD.
- Acting as an officer or employee of any government or any department, agency, or entity controlled by the government.
- Acting as an officer or employee of a Public International Organization, e.g., United Nations, International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank).
- Any other activity that might adversely affect SQUAD, its business, or its reputation.

If a potential conflict of interest or appearance of a conflict of interest may exist, employees should contact their organization’s ethics and compliance officer for guidance. The ethics and compliance officer will advise the employee whether a conflict of interest review is required. If so, employees will cooperate fully in the review process by providing all necessary information.
In addition to complying with the conflict of interest disclosure and review requirements for all employees, senior SQUAD officers seeking to serve on the board of directors or similar body of a public company or other for-profit enterprise must obtain approval of the Chief Operating Officer with concurrence of the General Counsel.

III. CONFLICT OF INTEREST DETERMINATION PROCESS

Requests for a conflict of interest determination will be decided on a case-by-case basis. The employee should submit a request for review in writing, using this Instruction, to their organization’s ethics and compliance officer. (The Request for Conflict of Interest Determination form is also available on the Ethics and Compliance. On this form, the employee should supply, at a minimum, the following information:

A description of the employee’s duties and responsibilities with SQUAD.
A description of the relationship, financial interest, role, or activity, in which the employee proposes to become involved.
A description of the proposed relationship of the SQUAD employee to the persons, entities, or activities at issue.
A description of any relationship between SQUAD and the persons, entities, or activities at issue.
The proposed level of the employee’s involvement or position with the persons, entities, or activities at issue.
Any compensation or other benefit to the employee arising from the proposed activity.
Whether the employee expects to perform the proposed activity during SQUAD working hours or with the use of SQUAD equipment or assets.

Conflict of interest reviews will be conducted by the ethics and compliance officer for the employee’s organization and will be determined on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the employee, the employee’s supervisor or functional manager, and others, as appropriate. In cases involving a senior SQUAD officer, the conflict of interest review will be conducted by the CECO and the determination will be made in consultation with the COO and the General Counsel.
In cases where the proposed activity presents no conflict of interest, the ethics and compliance officer will issue a written conflict of interest determination to that effect if requested by the employee.
In cases where the proposed activity potentially presents a conflict of interest, but the potential conflict can be eliminated or mitigated by the imposition of certain restrictions on the employee’s involvement in the activity, the ethics and compliance officer will issue a written conflict of interest determination that sets forth, in detail, any such restrictions. A copy of this determination will be sent to the employee and the employee’s supervisor. An employee’s failure to follow the restrictions set forth in the conflict of interest determination may result in disciplinary action.
In cases where the proposed activity presents an unavoidable conflict of interest, the ethics and compliance officer will issue a written conflict of interest determination that prohibits the employee from engaging in the proposed activity. A copy of this determination will be sent to the employee and the employee’s supervisor.
Once a written determination has been made, it continues in effect until it is reversed, modified, or withdrawn. If circumstances change, such as the employee moves to a different assignment within SQUAD, it is the employee’s responsibility to inform the organization’s ethics and compliance officer of the change. Upon review, the previous decision may be reversed, modified, or withdrawn.
Records of conflict of interest reviews will be retained by the GBU or other business-based ethics and compliance officers. Records of conflict of interest reviews involving a senior SQUAD officer will be retained by the CECO. Conflict of interest determinations shall be classified as Level 2 Confidential business records. Conflict of interest review data will be collected and analyzed by the CECO in order to improve conflict of interest guidance and processes and to provide visibility of company-wide conflict of interest issues.
An employee may appeal the determination of a conflict of interest review by the organization ethics and compliance officer, or pose questions, to the CECO. In cases involving a senior SQUAD officer, appeal of a conflict of interest determination may be made to the CEO.

IV. INTEREST AND ACTIVITIES THAT DON'T REQUIRE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST REVIEW

Working for any entity that is not a supplier, subcontractor, customer or competitor.
Acting as an employee, officer, director, partner, consultant, representative, agent, or advisor, of an entity at the request of SQUAD.
Having a passive investment interest in any supplier, customer, or competitor where such interest is less than 1% of the outstanding securities/capital value of the entity and represents less than 5% of the total assets of the employee, the employee’s immediate family members, relatives or others with whom the SQUAD employee has a close personal relationship.
Serving on the board of a not-for-profit entity whose activities are unrelated to SQUAD business or activities, and which does not seek or receive funding from SQUAD, a SQUAD-sponsored organization, or the SQUAD Foundation.
Serving as an officer or director of an industry or professional association.

V. ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE FOR OTHER POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF DON'T INTEREST

Conflict of interest laws and regulations applicable to current and former Afghan Government employees, including Special Government Employees, are described in [other policies and procedures relating to Recruitment of Afghanistan Government Employees for Positions with the SQUAD Construction & Engineering, and Recruitment and Hiring of Afghanistan Government Employees.

Responsibilities of management regarding the hiring and placement of employees’ relatives in the workplace are described in the SQUAD Workplace Relationships policy.