Our Code of Conduct

At Youna International, we recognize that in the industry in which we operate, reputation and trust are of utmost importance. Since our inception, we have strived to cultivate a strong culture of ethics throughout the company to ensure our clients’ interests are always at the forefront of our activities. In this Code of Conduct, we summarize the key directives, policies, practices and values which enable us to maintain the high standards of business conduct which have always been at the heart of our success.

  • Youna International is committed to preserving its high legal, ethical and moral standards and aims to foster and encourage a culture of compliance with local and international laws and regulations. In an effort to achieve these aims, we have summarized these standards in this Code of Conduct.

  • This Code applies to all directors and employees of Youna International worldwide and covers dealings with all internal and external stakeholders and other third parties. To ensure all employees are fully aware of the contents of the directives it summarizes, targeted training and education sessions on those directives are conducted. On an annual basis, all employees are required to take and pass an online compliance training program to ensure these documents have been thoroughly understood.

Our values

We believe that our attitude, behavior and actions make Youna International a special place and drive our long-term success. Our core values of Youna International, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Excellence and Passion define the essence of our firm and reflect who we are and what we do, every day.

  • Illustration of two hands shaking in front of a certificate with three stars, indicating approval or achievement, with award ribbons on the sides.

    Partnership

    Teamwork at all levels turns our diversity into strength and colleagues into friends. Our partnership is built upon integrity, honesty and fairness, and grows from empathy and respect. It calls for trust and transparency, and seeks constructive dialogue and open debates.

  • A cartoon illustration of a light bulb combined with a rocket, symbolizing innovation and ideas.

    Entrepreneurship

    We identify opportunities, launch initiatives, overcome challenges and take risks with the mindset of an owner. We are courageous, agile and hard-working, and we do not confuse activity with accomplishment. We take responsibility and assume accountability.

  • Icon of a person with three others behind, a gold star above, representing achievement or leadership.

    Leadership

    We are recognized as role models in our professional and personal conduct. We proactively identify, develop and nurture our future leaders. We are caring and demanding to form a high-performance culture.

  • Illustration of a confident man with gray hair, wearing a blue shirt and tie, raising his fists in victory.

    Excellence

    We deliver quality and honor our promises. As an organization committed to learning, we substantially invest in training and mentoring, and we design and operate world-class systems and processes. We take our fiduciary duty seriously, recognizing that our reputation is our most valuable asset.

  • A hand holding a large red heart.

    Passion

    We are curious and enthusiastic, putting our hearts and minds into what we do. We are fully committed to our clients and their beneficiaries. We are proud of our colleagues, accomplishments and partners in business.

Our people

  • In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, employment decisions at Youna International are based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. This governs all aspects of employment, including, but not limited to, selection, job assignment, promotion, compensation, discipline, termination, and access to benefits.

    We support Diversity & Inclusion in our workforce. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate against employees or applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, handicap, veteran status, marital or domestic partnership or civil union status, sexual orientation, or any other basis that is inconsistent with our guiding values.

  • Youna International is proud of its professional and harmonious work environment and does not tolerate any form of harassment or discrimination in the workplace by any employee for any reason. Youna International requires all employees to respect their colleagues, treat one another with courtesy, consideration and professionalism and always ensure they act appropriately for a work environment.

    Every employee is responsible for helping avoid and preventing harassment and discrimination. Where a person witnesses any form of harassment and discrimination, the person should intervene and offer support to the victim and inform a senior member of staff immediately upon becoming aware of it.

  • Youna International sets the highest standards in order to safeguard the health and safety of every employee, their families and communities. We keep our workplaces safe and ensure appropriate working conditions to protect the health and safety of employees in the workplace.

Business ethics

  • Youna International and its employees must adhere to all legal and regulatory provisions, best practices and rules of professional conduct within the markets in which the firm operates.

    To support the firm in ensuring compliance, the Executive Team has established a compliance officer function, which is responsible for the coordination and implementation of Youna International’s compliance risk management in line with its Compliance Directive. As part of its duties, Compliance officer is responsible for educating and informing all employees in matters of compliance and actively promoting a culture of compliance throughout the firm.

  • Youna International believes in a competitive system as the basis of a free market economy, which is protected and promoted by competition laws. Consequently, we ensure that all our actions always comply with all applicable anti-trust and other laws regulating competition.

  • Youna International seeks to ensure that clients’ interests are always at the forefront of its activities and that all its employees are sensitive to conflicts and apply appropriate measures to manage or prevent known conflicts of interest.

    As part of its internal control system, Youna International has a set of policies and procedures, including its Conflicts of Interest Directive, which all employees must adhere to. In addition, the firm has established a Conflict Resolution Board to handle and make decisions on any relevant conflicts encountered by Youna International.

  • Youna International is committed to protecting the privacy, interests and fundamental rights of individuals and pays close attention to the processing of personal data.

    Employees are required to maintain and preserve the confidentiality of personal data entrusted to Youna International by its clients, contacts, employees and investors, following the guidelines set out in its Data Protection, Cybersecurity and Privacy Policies. In addition, Youna International has appointed a Data Protection Officer responsible for the firm’s information security compliance efforts and all inquiries from and reports by Youna International employees pertaining to information security.

  • Youna International has a set of sound Anti-Money Laundering procedures that allow employees to make an informed decision as to whether a transaction with a customer, a partner, may involve money laundering or may finance improper or illegal activities (such as terrorist activities). Under no circumstances are Youna International entities and employees permitted to accept assets that they know, or should be reasonably expected to know, are the proceeds of criminal activities.

  • Youna International operates a zero tolerance approach to the offering or receiving of bribes in any form. All employees and service providers are expected to conduct themselves with integrity, impartiality and honesty at all times. Gifts given to or offered by employees or Youna International’s service providers as a reward, inducement or encouragement for preferential treatment or improper or dishonest conduct are strictly prohibited. Furthermore, employees must not solicit gifts of any type or value. All employees are asked to support the firm in preventing bribery and corruption according to the guidelines set out in its Gifts & Entertainment policy.

  • We place considerable importance on providing our clients with the highest level of service. However, we understand that there may be occasions when clients’ expectations may not be met. We understand the importance of complaints and view them as an opportunity to learn and to improve our controls, as well as a chance to put things right for our clients. Our Client Complaints Policy outlines the channels through which our clients can make complaints and the ways these will be handled and resolved.

Compliance with the Code

Youna International aims to assure the highest quality of services and deliverables and operates a ‘zero defects’ environment. Nevertheless, it is recognized that in the conduct of its business activities, shortcomings can occur. Youna International fosters a culture of pro-active communication of errors and incidents, in particular appropriate reporting, processing and organizational learning.

All employees of Youna International are expected to record and process all errors and incidents identified according to the guidelines set out in the firm’s Quality Assurance Directive.

Youna International aims to preserve its high legal, ethical and moral standards and thus fosters a culture of compliance with local laws and ethically sound business conduct. In order to support this purpose, Youna International expects its employees to speak up if they know of or suspect conduct or occurrences that violate law, regulations, internal instructions (including those mentioned in this Code), group processes or the Youna International Charter (‘Misconduct’). Speaking up contributes to the enhancing of the organization’s risk management, internal controls and compliance. Youna International does not tolerate Misconduct and is committed to preventing and eliminating such Misconduct within its organization. Youna International will rigorously investigate any incident it is made aware of.

Youna International will not tolerate retaliation such as harassment or adverse employment consequence against any employee who reports Misconduct in good faith. Good faith means that a person has a reasonably held belief that the disclosure they have made is true.

Reports can be made anonymously. Investigations will be treated with strict confidentiality to the extent permissible by law. An investigation may not be kept confidential if an investigation triggers disciplinary, legal or regulatory investigations or proceedings.

If an employee is himself/herself implicated in Misconduct and decides to come forward and report this Misconduct, this fact may constitute under certain conditions a mitigating circumstance in any ensuing disciplinary proceedings.