Published on 20th January 2023, Revision 01
Ögussa, the Austrian Gold and Silver Separating Plant Ltd, is a separating plant for materials that contain precious metals.
Ögussa commits itself and its staff, its managers, authorised representatives and executive board, and authorised signatories to conduct its business in compliance with the applicable laws and overall in an honest and ethical manner.
Ögussa believes that its commitment to honesty, ethics and integrity represents a crucial basis on which to form a foundation of trust with customers, business partners, stakeholder groups and its public surroundings.
Beyond our own commitment, we use our influence to prevent the perpetration of abuse by others. If we see a substantial risk that a supplier is obtaining materials from a source that perpetrates serious abuse (as outlined below) or could be associated with such, then we will suspend/terminate our relationship with such a supplier.
Ögussa is a subsidiary of Agosi AG, Pforzheim, Germany, and thus included in its scope of certification (membership number 0094) with the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC). RJC is an organisation that was established to set standards to increase consumer trust in the jewellery industry. This is achieved by the promotion of responsible business practices in respect of ethics, human rights, social issues and the environment across the whole jewellery supply chain. RJC and its members reject any activities that directly or indirectly serve to finance armed conflict or that otherwise support or facilitate extreme violence and human rights violations.
With regard to the threat of human rights violations and other risks that may be associated with the mining production, trading or export of minerals from conflict regions and high-risk areas, and on the basis of our commitment to respect and support human rights and ethics in business, Ögussa adopts the present directive:
In Respect of Serious Abuse in Connection with the Mining, Transport and Trading of Precious Metals:
1. We will neither tolerate nor benefit from, contribute to, support or facilitate perpetration of the following abuses:
- Torture or cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment;
- Compulsory or forced labour;
- Child labour;
- Human rights violations or abuses;
- War crimes, violations of international law, crimes against humanity or genocide.
2. If we identify a substantial risk that a supplier is perpetrating the abuses stated in paragraph 1 or obtaining materials from such a source or associated with any party involved in such, then we will do no business with this supplier and/or terminate the business relationship with immediate effect.
In Respect of Direct or Indirect Support for Non-State, Armed Groups:
3. We will tolerate no direct or indirect support for non-state, armed groups. This includes but is not limited to the procurement of precious metals from or the transaction of payments to non-state, armed groups, or other forms of support or arming of non-state, armed groups or their networks, which illegally:
- Control mines, transport routes and trading points for precious metals and upstream stakeholders; and/or
- Extort money or precious metals from intermediaries, export companies or international traders, whether at the mining sites, along the transport routes or in the trading venues.
4. If we identify a substantial risk that a supplier is obtaining materials from a source that perpetrates the abuses stated in paragraph 3 or associated with any party that directly or indirectly supports non-state, armed groups, then we will do no business with this supplier and/or terminate the business relationship with immediate effect.
In Respect of Public or Private Security Forces:
5. We declare that the role of public or private security forces lies in the provision of security (including the guarantee of human rights) for the workers, businesses, equipment and property in compliance with current law.
We will directly or indirectly support no public or private security forces that perpetrate the abuses described in paragraph 2 or that act unlawfully as described in paragraph 3.
In Respect of Bribery and False Designations of Origin of Precious Metals:
6. We will offer, promise, give or demand no form of bribe and we will resist any attempts at bribery. Equally we will resist attempts to conceal or disguise the origin of precious metals or intentionally to misrepresent taxes, duties or licence fees paid to governments for the purpose of mining, trading, transporting and exporting precious metals.
In Respect of Money Laundering:
7. We will support all efforts for and actively contribute to the effective elimination of money laundering, if we identify a substantial risk of money laundering activities in connection with the mining, trading, transport or export of precious metals.
We encourage all potential stakeholder groups to raise any concerns about our supply chain, and with this in mind I offer you the opportunity to contact me directly (in my dual role as Chain of Custody Representative) either by e-mail to marcus.fasching@oegussa.at or by phone on +43 1 866 46-4310, or anonymously via the Complaint Form.
Kind regards
Ögussa – Austrian Gold and Silver Separating Plant Ltd
Marcus Fasching
CEO
