Fulton Hogan Hiways Joint Venture has become the first local business to sign up to the Fiji Independent Com­mission Against Corruption’s (FI­CAC) Corporate Integrity Pledge.

This happened during a spe­cial signing ceremony between FICAC’s deputy commissioner, George Langman, and FHH gen­eral manager Duncan Fraser, at the company’s Samabula depot, and witnessed by staff members.

Mr Fraser said that in signing, FHH had made a commitment to uphold anti-corruption principles in every aspect of their business operations.

FICAC’s Corporate Integrity Pledge (CIP) is a commitment to five key principles, which are promoting transparency and ac­countability, strengthening inter­nal systems, complying with laws relating to fighting corruption and supporting FICAC’s anti-cor­ruption initiatives.

“At Fulton Hogan Hiways Joint Venture, we are doing this not be­cause we have to, but because we know it is the right thing to do. It is also about stepping up to the next level,” Mr Fraser said.

He said as a responsible corpo­rate citizen, they had always cher­ished strong values and ethics.

“We also believe that if you can­not operate ethically, then you have no place in this business,” he said.

FICAC’s principal corruption prevention officer, Arti Naidu, said the signing also marked a milestone for the local business community.

“The Corporate Integrity Pledge is a commitment which tells peo­ple that you are not just promot­ing good ethics, but you are also expecting your stakeholders to promote it in return as well,” Ms Naidu said.

“So as much as this is for you as a company, it is also for all your stakeholders, also reminding them that you are a clean business who conducts itself ethically and you will demand the same from others.”

Ms Naidu also thanked FHH for including FICAC in many of its in-house training programmes.

Mr Langman also congratulated FHH for not having a single in­vestigation against them since FI­CAC’s establishment in 2007.

Source: Fulton Hogan Hiways