Corporate Policy

Purpose

Maurice Frances SA is committed to maintaining a workplace free from discrimination, bullying, and unlawful harassment. This Policy describes the company’s policy prohibiting sexual and other unlawful harassment.

Scope

This Policy applies to all company employees, in all locations, and to the extent permitted by law.

Key Policies

1. Anti-Harassment Policy

1.1. The company is dedicated to providing a work environment free from discrimination, bullying, and unlawful harassment. Harassment is a form of discrimination that is offensive, affects employee participation, undermines the integrity of the company’s relationship with its employees, and harms the company’s productivity and stability.
1.2. Harassment based on gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other legally protected characteristic will not be tolerated and is prohibited by this Policy.

2. Definitions and Examples

2.1. Harassment is persistent and unwanted behavior or actions based on any of the characteristics mentioned in section 1.2.
2.2. Sexual harassment is a type of harassment that includes unwanted sexual advances, unwanted sexual contact, unwanted verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, unwanted invitations for sexual favors, and any other unwanted physical, verbal, or visual behavior of a sexual nature and/or behavior directed at someone because of their gender.
2.3. Unwanted physical, verbal, or visual conduct of a sexual nature may include any of the following:
• explicit sexual proposals,
• sexual innuendos,
• comments, insults, or derogatory expressions with sexual overtones,
• “teasing” or “jokes” of a sexual nature,
• sexual jokes,
• obscene gestures or vulgar expressions,
• images or drawings with obscene or sexual content,
• display of sexually offensive graphic material not required for work,
• physical contact such as “light pats,” pinching, or touching.
2.4. Harassment on any basis occurs whenever:
• submission to harassing behavior is an explicit or implicit condition of employment,
• submission to or rejection of such behavior is used as a basis for an explicit or implicit employment decision, including termination, demotion, or change in responsibilities or benefits,
• the behavior is intended to or effectively interferes unreasonably with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.
2.5. Other unlawful harassment includes any type of behavior that creates a work environment characterized by offensive, obscene, or demeaning comments based on any protected characteristic listed in section 1.2 above. This type of harassment includes, among other things:
• racist or demeaning comments based on ethnicity,
• receiving, posting, displaying, publishing, photographing, printing, or distributing pornographic, obscene, offensive, or inappropriate material or material of a sexual, ethnic, religious, or racist nature,
• use of offensive humor, including racist, religious, sexist, or ethnicity-based jokes,
• demeaning comments about another person’s gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other legally protected characteristic,
• any communication or act that is harassing or discriminatory.

3. Management Obligation

3.1. Company management is responsible for supporting and enforcing this anti-harassment policy.
3.2. Any employee actions that could lead to a violation of the Policy by the company may result in disciplinary actions, including termination.

4. Complaints / Reports

4.1. Complaints/reports of harassment or retaliation that violate this Policy will be accepted in writing or verbally; anonymous complaints will be taken seriously and investigated. Anyone who has observed sexual or other unlawful harassment should report it immediately.
4.2. Any employee wishing to report a harassment incident must immediately report the issue to the designated contact persons.
4.3. The designated contact persons for the implementation of the above policy are:
• Mrs. Isabella Frances, for the company headquarters (AIGIALEIAS 52 – 15125 Marousi), including the branches located in Nea Erythraia and Palaio Faliro (contact number: 2108771700).
• Mr. Gerasimos Karavasilis, for the branches located in Glyfada, Chalandri, and Thessaloniki (contact number: 2108771700).

5. Investigations

5.1. All complaints will be investigated promptly and thoroughly by the designated contact persons listed above.
5.2. Anyone filing a complaint is assured of:
• protection from retaliation in case of reporting sexual or other unlawful harassment,
• the Company’s commitment to investigating the allegations and taking appropriate actions,
• the Company’s intention to maintain absolute confidentiality regarding the allegations, to the extent practically possible,
• the Company’s intention to inform the complainant of the investigation results and any actions taken.

By Management