Corporate Social Responsibility and Compliance

Our approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability is embedded in our vision, mission and strategy. What we do and who we are as a company are naturally linked.

We want to create value for our customers, key stakeholders, COWI and the society, and we do this by enabling our customers to meet their sustainability ambitions and thus make the societies in which we operate more sustainable and more liveable.

We have a three-pronged approach, which integrates CSR and sustainability:

• Business conduct: The way we carry out our own activities.
• Employee behaviour: The way we behave at the workplace and our obligation to act.
• Business deliverables: The way we ensure that the solutions we design for customers take environmental and societal impacts into consideration.
• Our commitment is reflected in our endorsement of the UN Global Compact as well as our support to the Code of Ethics of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC).
• Go to COWI´s Sustainability reports

QUALITY, ENVIRONMENT AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY MANAGEMENT

COWI has a strong tradition of good quality, environment, and occupational health & safety (OH&S) management. Therefore, we have thoroughly implemented an integrated management system in conformity with the international standards ISO9001:2015, ISO14001:2015 and ISO45001:2018. 

COWI's management ensures that the management system is maintained and developed. The suitability and effectiveness is evaluated every year by COWI's top management. 

The key purpose of ’COWI's Group quality policy is to ensure our clients' confidence in the COWI Group's ability to meet their needs and to provide qualified and satisfactory professional services.  

The purpose of COWI's Group environmental policy is to commit to improving our own environmental footprint and systematically supporting customer projects in a drive towards sustainability. 

The purpose of COWI's Group OH&S policy is to ensure that COWI can provide safe and healthy workplaces for all employees. OH&S is a high priority throughout our organisation The OH&S work sees a high level of employee participation. COWI's ambition is to be seen as a collaboration partner that takes OH&S seriously. 

Policies and guidelines set out the overall framework for how we work on a day-to-day basis including: 

• COWI Group quality policy
• COWI Group environmental policy
• COWI Group Occupational health and safety policy
• Business integrity policy 
• Code of conduct for suppliers
• Data ethics policy
• Diversity & Inclusion policy

WHISTLEBLOWER

COWI has adopted a whistleblower policy applicable for all companies in the Group, enabling employees, partners and other stakeholders to speak up and report concerns about breach of statutory regulation as well as matters that COWI itself deems important to reveal.

• Read the COWI Group whistleblower policy here.

To implement the objectives of the whistleblower policy, COWI has set up a dedicated whistleblower scheme.

To provide support and guidance to those considering utilising the whistleblower scheme, COWI has drafted a comprehensive whistleblower guideline elaborating on its practical details of use, scope and administration.

• Read the whistleblower guideline here.

COWI's whistleblower reporting line is hosted by a third-party hotline provider, EthicsPoint.

• Go to the EthicsPoint site here. 

Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking statements

COWI has a zero-tolerance approach to any form of modern slavery and human trafficking. We are committed to acting ethically correct, with integrity and transparency in all aspects of our business and we are committed to implementing effective due diligence and controls to safeguard against modern slavery and human trafficking in our business and operations.

Our UK statement is published pursuant to the requirements under section 54 of the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015, and we have repeated or commitment in a group-wide statement applicable for all companies in the COWI Group regardless of geographical operation and jurisdiction.

• COWI UK Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking statement
• COWI Group Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking statement

COWI's values are based on credibility and integrity. Actions that may put these values at risk are unacceptable. COWI has thus adopted FIDIC Code of Ethics.

The International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) recognises that the work of the consulting engineering industry is critical to the achievement of sustainable development of society and the environment.

To be fully effective not only must engineers constantly improve their knowledge and skills, but also society must respect the integrity and trust the judgement of members of the profession and remunerate them fairly.

All member associations of FIDIC subscribe to and believe that the following principles are fundamental to the behaviour of their members if society is to have that necessary confidence in its advisors.

COWI has adopted The International Federation of Consulting Engineers, FIDIC Code of Ethics, which reads as follows:

Responsibility to society and the consulting industry

The consulting engineer shall:

• Accept the responsibility of the consulting industry to society.
• Seek solutions that are compatible with the principles of sustainable development.
• At all times uphold the dignity, standing and reputation of the consulting industry.

Competence

The consulting engineer shall:

• Maintain knowledge and skills at levels consistent with development in technology, legislation and management, and apply due skill, care and diligence in the services rendered to the client.
• Perform services only when competent to perform them.

Integrity

The consulting engineer shall:

• Act at all times in the legitimate interest of the client and provide all services with integrity and faithfulness.

Impartiality

The consulting engineer shall:

• Be impartial in the provision of professional advice, judgement or decision.
• Inform the client of any potential conflict of interest that might arise in the performance of services to the client.
• Not accept remuneration which prejudices independent judgement.

Fairness to others

The consulting engineer shall:

• Promote the concept of “Quality-Based Selection” (QBS).
• Neither carelessly nor intentionally do anything to injure the reputation or business of others.
• Neither directly nor indirectly attempt to take the place of another consulting engineer, already appointed for a specific work.
• Not take over the work of another consulting engineer before notifying the consulting engineer in question, and without being advised in writing by the client of the termination of the prior appointment for that work.
• In the event of being asked to review the work of another, behave in accordance with appropriate conduct and courtesy.

Corruption

The consulting engineer shall:

• Neither offer nor accept remuneration of any kind which in perception or in effect either a) seeks to influence the process of selection or compensation of consulting engineers and/or their clients or b) seeks to affect the consulting engineer’s impartial judgement.
• Co-operate fully with any legitimately constituted investigative body which makes inquiry into the administration of any contract for services or construction.