In order to promote and consolidate an ethical and transparent culture within the company, Enel Distribución Chile has obtained the ISO 37001 certification, an international standard that recognizes companies that have an Anti-bribery management system. Within this same process, Empresa Eléctrica Colina –subsidiary of Enel Distribución- was also certified, to become the first energy distribution companies in Chile to obtain this certification.
The evaluation and certification of the ISO37001 standard was carried out by AENOR, and the standard verification process was executed between September and October 2019. This process consisted of an in-depth analysis of the companies’ main activities to prevent bribery and corruption, as well as employee interviews in most of the Divisions.
The two companies join Enel Chile and Enel Generación, who became the first electric companies in Chile to get certified last December 2018.
What is ISO?
The International Standardization Organization (ISO) is an independent and non-governmental organization that establishes international standards in different areas, from manufactured products and technology to food safety, agriculture and health.
What is ISO 37001?
ISO 37001 is an Anti-Bribery Management System standard published by the International Standardization Organization. The objective of this system is to prevent, detect and combat bribery, as well as to promote an ethical, transparent and compliant culture among all of the company's employees and stakeholders.
How did ISO 37001 come about?
ISO 37001 came about to support countries’ fight against bribery and corruption by way of international agreements such as the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials and the United Nations Convention against Corruption. It is also in line with local legislation, including Law 20,393 on the criminal liability of legal entities in Chile.
What are the standard’s requirements?
That companies and organizations develop and implement an effective management system to mitigate bribery and any other corruption risks.
The requirements include, among others, i) to implement and adopt anti-bribery policies through the leadership and commitment of directors and management; ii) to perform periodic assessments of bribery risks in order to maintain an effective control system; iii) to maintain training programs and communication with employees and stakeholders on this matter; iv) to extend the management system to stakeholders and the value chain; v) to establish continuous improvement actions; and vi) to implement whistle-blower channels and sanctioning processes for when violations are detected.
Why did we get certified in ISO 37001?
This certification recognizes the commitment of Enel Distribución and Eléctrica Colina –as well as Enel Chile and Enel Generación- to transparency and ethics through an external assessment and certification of the crime prevention system that has been in place for several years.
What are the benefits?
The standard ensures the implementation of an anti-bribery management system that meets the highest international standards before all company stakeholders: owners, investors, vendors, business partners, clients and the community in general.
It also generates confidence in the market, helping to promote the brand's appreciation and increasing the share price, and is also one of the Sustainability indicators.
Who is responsible for the management system?
The entire organization is implicated in the management system, which is why it is one of the most complete and thorough international standards.
The directors and upper management promote and lead the system, while the staff are responsible for executing daily activities and controls to avoid situations that could expose the company to any risk of bribery. Finally, the Auditing Division is responsible for evaluating and monitoring how well the system works.