Gifts
What you need to know
Exchanging gifts are often part of local culture and tradition. The exchange of gifts with our customers or business relationships can build goodwill and foster a good business relationship. However, the distinction between corruption and gifts and business courtesies can be difficult to draw. Due care must therefore be exercised. Furthermore, our business decisions shall always be based on Telenor’s best interest and not on personal loyalty due to the exchange of gifts.
Telenor’s Policy is that you are allowed to give and receive gifts that are customary and business related. The gift shall always be of modest value. Telenor does not have any general limit on the maximum value of a gift. Expensive gifts shall not be given or received. You are responsible for considering the value of the gift. If you are in doubt, you should consult your immediate superior.
Some business units within Telenor have set monetary limits on the maximum value a gift may have. You shall always follow the local requirements.
Cash, or gifts that are easy to convert to cash, shall never be given or received. Example may be refundable airline tickets.
Irrespective of the value concerned, a gift that has the appearance of improper influence shall never be given or received.
We shall always use prudent judgment and consider Telenor’s reputation and integrity as the ultimate guideline.
What you must do
- Do not accept or offer gifts if there is reason to believe that its purpose is to improperly influence business decisions or which can lead to questions being raised about your or others’ independence and integrity
- Assess whether the gift can be seen as an improper advantage and therefore illegal. You should consider:
- Purpose of the gift
- Form and content of the gift
- Situation in which the gift is offered
- Value of the gift
- Ask a superior if you are unsure, even if in principle you have the authority to make such a decision
- Find out if the recipient has guidelines for gifts and comply with these
What you need to be aware of
- Gifts that can be perceived by others to have as their purpose to unduly influence business decisions
- Repeated gifts from the same enterprise or person
- Gifts in connection with contractual negotiations
- Gifts that are offered for something in return
- Gifts to public officials