BIC - 2019 Universal Registration Document

OUR ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND SOCIETAL RESPONSIBILITY

Responsibilities related to our supply chain [NFPS]

3.5.3.4

Responsible lobbying and participation

Lobbying activities can also take the form of direct contacts with the pertinent authorities, institutions, governmental agencies and NGOs. The Group’s subsidiaries also cultivate direct relations with the national authorities in their countries of operation. However, the Group has no professional lobbyists on its payroll. Clearly identified lobbying responsibilities At the highest level within the Group, CEO Gonzalve Bich and the members of the Executive Committee are responsible for steering and monitoring all lobbying actions on a regular basis. The operational responsibility for BIC’s relationships with public authorities and institutions is delegated to a small number of specifically identified managers, who have been named to represent the Group in the above-mentioned proceedings. The members of the Executive Committee are kept informed of the progress of laws and regulations that affect their operations. BIC Group ensures strict compliance with local laws and regulations in the pursuit of its lobbying activities. Like all the Group’s activities, lobbying is governed by the Anti-Corruption Policy and the BIC Code of Ethics, which names the persons to be notified in case of violation. Teammembers awareness The latest developments concerning lighters are shared with the Group’s team members during the results presentations. The General Managers and Marketing Managers are also kept directly abreast of BIC’s lobbying actions on lighters. Progress made in 2019 ❯ In 2019, BIC focused its lobbying activity on the monitoring of pending regulations and standards concerning stationery products (EU directives and regulations: REACH, CLP, Toy Safety), lighters (safety standards and market surveillance, CLP, e-commerce), and lighters and shavers (legislation in Spain’s autonomous communities concerning product typologies and end-of-life management).

in sector working groups

Challenges ❯ BIC Group considers lobbying to be a positive action, making good use of its industrial expertise and knowledge of the market in its relationships with the public authorities. For the Group, lobbying is quite simply the communication, targeted towards decision-makers and important players on key issues, and the lessons learned from its experience to help establish the necessary balances. Its purpose is to help improve the effectiveness of the authorities’ regulatory actions, to improve the safety of the products available on the market, thus improving consumer safety and ensuring fair competition. In this way, BIC seeks to be recognized and consulted as a stakeholder in all decisions and actions that affect its operations. BIC Group pursues its lobbying activities in a responsible, ethical way to ensure that the legal and regulatory decisions, as well as the actions undertaken to enforce the rules, have realistic and effective technical and economic consequences, maintaining or restoring fair and honest relations among all the market players. Although BIC has no tradition of making public statements on major industrial or societal topics, the Group does address the public when this type of action seems necessary. It also participates in sector dialogue and seeks to exert its influence in four key areas that are directly related to its commitments as a responsible corporation: product safety, the fight against counterfeiting, the fight against unfair competition and environmental protection. BIC carries out its lobbying primarily as a member of various organizations, participating as needed in their working groups and the conception of their positions: French, European and American professional federations; ● standardization committees for toys, lighters and writing ● instruments; French watchdog groups and intra-sector associations. ● BIC is a member of the Executive Committees of the main industry associations, and in some cases, has been for many years. Approach ❯ Participation in sector dialogue

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• BIC GROUP - 2019 UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT •