Code of ethics

Our Commitment to Ethics

At Ahold Delhaize, our shared values support an ethical culture and are the foundation of our commitment to conduct our business by doing what’s right, every day. Our Code of Ethics supports this commitment by outlining four ethical principles that can be applied in our everyday work.

	We respect each other   People are our most valuable assets. We are committed to provide a safe, secure and inclusive environment where   all associates and customers are respected and appreciated.
	We follow the law We comply with applicable laws and regulations everywhere we do business and do not tolerate violations of the law.
	We act ethically in all our relationships   We act ethically in all our relationships and avoid conflicts of interest.
	We have the courage to speak up We have the courage to speak up when misconduct or ethical violations are observed, or when there are questions regarding the interpretation or application of the Code of Ethics or other external laws and regulations and internal policies and standards.

As we strive to be a better place to shop, a better place to work and a better neighbor, our Code of Ethics guides our interactions with our customers, associates, communities and other stakeholders every day.

Click here to watch a message from our CEO, Frans Muller

Downloads 

• Handbook Code of Ethics (English, Dutch, Belgian, French, Romanian, Indonesian, Polish, Greek, Czech, Spanish)
• Summary Code of Ethics (English)
• Anti-corruption and bribery policy
• Standards of Engagement
• Guidelines for engaging with public policy makers

Membership contributions

Ahold Delhaize and its brands collaborate with a number of retail sector associations and trade organizations across all operating markets. These organizations support Ahold Delhaize and its brands in their representation efforts, taking positive (societal) initiatives, defining policy positions and providing useful information to policy-makers. In 2019, total membership fees amounted to approximately EUR 3,07 million. The contributions to such associations in the years since 2015 can be categorized as follows:

	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
Lobbying, interest representation or other	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
Local, regional or national political campaigns / organizations / candidates	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
Trade associations or tax-exempt groups (e.g. think tanks)	EUR2.64m	EUR3.16m	EUR3.30m	EUR3.02m	EUR 3.07m
Other (e.g. spending related to ballot measures or referendums)	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil

Consistent with our global anti-corruption and bribery policies,  Ahold Delhaize does not make any contributions or charitable donations that could act as means of bribery and corruption.

Largest expenditures in 2019:

Comeos (Belgium)	EUR 650k
Food Marketing Institute (US)	EUR 253k (USD 282k)
Detailhandel Nederland (The Netherlands)	EUR 192k

Raise a concern

Ahold Delhaize is committed to conducting its business in an ethical manner and in compliance with all applicable external laws and regulations. In order to support this commitment, Ahold Delhaize provides resources that can be used to report potential misconduct or provide additional guidance regarding ethical or compliance issues. These resources are available to all associates and third parties.

If you would like to raise a concern or report potential misconduct or a violation of the Ahold Delhaize Code of Ethics and our Ethical Principles, click here.

For more information about our whistleblower lines, click here.

Questions?

If you want to know more about Compliance & Ethics at Ahold Delhaize please send an e-mail to: ethics@aholddelhaize.com