12/08/2020

To our stakeholders:

I am pleased to confirm that Hudson Belgium NV reaffirms its support of the Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact in the areas of Human Rights, Labour, Environment and Anti-Corruption.

In this annual Communication on Progress, we describe our actions to continually improve the integration of the Global Compact and its principles into our business strategy, culture and daily operations. We also commit to sharing this information with our stakeholders using our primary channels of communication.

Sincerely yours,

Mr. Ivan De Witte
CEO

Hudson is a full-service HR consultancy with nearly 40 years of experience. We are a trustworthy and loyal HR partner and put our expertise and solutions at the service of candidates, employees and organizations, to grow beyond their expectations. Every day, our employees give the best of themselves to make a difference.

Hudson Belgium was founded in 1982 by Ivan De Witte under the name De Witte & Morel and soon positioned itself as the partner of choice for organisations wishing to attract and develop the very best professionals in their fields. During the subsequent decades, Hudson grew to become the market leader with a reputation for delivering high quality HR services. Between 1995 and 2001, a structural partnership was entered into with Ernst & Young (EY). Between 2001 and 2018, Hudson Belgium was part of the NASDAQ-listed organisation Hudson Global. In 2018, current chairman and CEO Ivan De Witte and his management team bought the Hudson Belgium branch back via a management buy-out (MBO). A year later, an acquisition was made in Luxembourg (Alcor Executive) and a branch was opened in Amsterdam.

We see it as our mission to support organisations on their growth trajectory by developing their employees. Beginning with our core values (integrity, respect, partnership, empowerment and responsibility), our HR experts utilise their expertise, entrepreneurship and drive for innovation to help with the recruitment, development, coaching and remuneration of their people.
https://www.hudsonsolutions.com/be-en
To improve the communities we work and play in, we focus our efforts on education and career enrichment. As a natural extension of our business, we believe that helping people develop their inherent skills and gifts leads to better outcomes not only in their careers but their lives. Hudson employees routinely share their time, talent and treasure within their respective communities in a variety of ways.

We are committed to corporate social responsibility. The CSR team within Hudson is dedicated to set up goals and strategies for our CSR programs.
Our corporate social responsibility policy is built on three pillars:

1. Responsible business practices

o Because of the Company’s commitment to integrity as one of its core values, the Hudson Belgium NV Code of Business Conduct and Ethics has been adopted to provide guidance for all directors and employees, to maintain high ethical standards of conduct and to comply fully with applicable laws and governmental regulations.
By conducting our overall business ethically, recruiting and employing a diverse workforce that promotes high standards, we have created an environment that values the contributions of every employee, client and candidate we serve.
We act responsible in our business practices, also towards our suppliers. We treat them fairly and establish an open communication. We ask the same from them and also there engagement towards Corporate Social Responsibility in their business and regarding their own suppliers and subcontractors:
 Commercial relationships based on integrity, respect and professionalism;
 Zero tolerance to corruption and fraudulent conduct;
 Laws and regulations are complied concerning labour practices and human rights;
 Attention to Employees health and safety and development of human capital;
 Environmental laws and regulations are complied;
 Minimization of relevant environmental impacts and promotion of best practices;
 Reduction of energy consumption;

o Hudson Belgium NV is a Federgon Certified Member and signed the Quality Charter. We are committed to:
 ethical business
 respecting confidentiality of data
 employing competent staff
 providing correct information
 behavior with customers
 respecting a complaint procedure
 behavior with applicants, employees and self-employed
 spreading the Quality Charter

Additionally, Hudson is certified for the new RSS (Recruitment, Search, Selection) Quality Label in which we subscribe to the present Code of Ethics. The Code comes as an addition to the regional regulations, the federal regulations and the Federgon Quality Charter.

The RSS Quality Label reviews both specific processes (executive search, assessment …) and more general management processes (organizational management and corporate social responsibility).

o Being a Federgon Certified Member, we furthermore obtained (since 2011) the highest ranking (4 stars) from LRQA Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance.
o Hudson provides collective outplacement programs and is CERTO Certified (see certification in annex). This certification is created by VDAB and Federgon and guaranties the quality of outplacement services to employers and employees. One of the criteria is to endorse a code of conduct which includes quality standards, satisfaction questionnaires, complaint procedures and registrations.

2. Corporate giving

At Hudson Belgium, we have established different forms of corporate giving:

o Financially: we support the following non-limitative list of both national and international organizations and NGO’s

 Koning Boudewijnstichting
 Childfocus
 Rode Neuzen Dag
 Boven De Wolken
 TWerk
 Kinderkankerfonds
 Stichting Tegen Kanker
 Kom Op Tegen Kanker
 Vlaamse liga tegen kanker
 Moeders voor Moeders
 Medi Clowns  Doctors Without Borders
 Unicef
 St. Vivian School, Tanzania
 Casa Hogar, Mexico
 Wereldsolidariteit
 Oxfam
 SOS Kinderdorpen
 Rode Kruis
 Water for People
 Vredeseilanden
 Tajo

o Volunteering & supportive actions like blood donations, participation in solidarity campaigns, Pink Monday, etc.

3. Environmental commitment

(see further)

The Hudson Belgium NV Code of Business Conduct states the following:

COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS GENERALLY
The Company’s businesses must be conducted in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Any illegal action will be dealt with swiftly and violations will be reported to the proper authorities and offenders will be subject to disciplinary action by the Company.
In keeping with our commitment to integrity, there may be isolated instances where local laws are unacceptable. For example, even if it were not illegal in other countries, the Company does not want to obtain or retain business by giving gifts to officials of a government or a multinational organization either to influence any of their official acts, or to induce them to use their influence to affect any governmental act. In addition, employees should never give a gift to any person or firm where he or she has reason to believe that the gift will be passed on to a government official for such purposes.
Employees and directors must never make improper gifts or payments, such as bribes or kickbacks, in any way in connection with the Company’s business.

RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS PRACTICES
Responsible business practices is one of the three pillars of our corporate social responsibility policy. Next to corporate giving and environmental commitment.
By conducting our overall business ethically, recruiting and employing a diverse workforce and promoting high standards, we have created an environment that values the contributions of every employee, client and candidate we serve.
We want to extend these values to our supply chain and include them into our negotiations with possible suppliers.
We act responsible in our business practices, also towards our suppliers. We treat them fairly and establish an open communication.
We ask the same from them and also there engagement towards Corporate Social Responsitiblity in their business practices and regarding their own suppliers and subcontractors:
• Commercial relationships based on integrity, respect and professionalism;
• Zero tolerance to corruption and fraudulent conduct;
• Laws and regulations are complied concerning labour practices and human rights;
• Attention to Employees health and safety and development of human capital;
• Environmental laws and regulations are complied;
• Minimization of relevant environmental impacts and promotion of best practices;
• Reduction of energy consumption;

• Hudson has a policy statement regarding (sexual) harassment and violence at the workplace ( in the company handbook) and the Hudson Belgium NV Code of Business Conduct states the following:
“The Company expects the workplace to be a professional work environment free from physical, psychological, verbal and non-verbal harassment.
The Company will not tolerate any forms of harassment, whether by a supervisor, employee, director, outside vendor, client or consultant. The Company will not tolerate any form of retaliation against any person for making a complaint, or cooperating in the investigation of a complaint. Complaints of harassment will be promptly and impartially investigated. Any employee who believes that he or she has been the subject of harassment or retaliation or has witnessed harassment or retaliation should report this immediately to his or her coach, Responsible Manager, or to his or her Confidential Advisor (“Vertrouwenspersoon/Conseiller confidentielle”). The Company will maintain the confidentiality of any complaints or other information regarding harassment or retaliation in accordance with established Company policy.”

• Hudson has a policy statement regarding a precautionary use of alcohol and drugs at the office;

We aim to provide a healthy and safe working environment for all our employees:

• Hudson has both an external (CESI) and internal Service for Workplace Prevention and Protection at work;
• All possible risks in our company have been properly assessed and a global prevention plan for a period of 5 years is established;
• A business continuity plan is in place;
• We are alert for psychosocial issues. Stress, inappropriate behaviour, conflicts, bullying, etc. can cause serious problems. Our employees can consult a confidential mediator who’s first point of contact in those cases;
In 2018, we gave special attention to Stress & Burn-out;
In 2020, we participated in the 'Work Happiness Week';
• We stimulate our employees to embark a healthy lifestyle, also outside the office, for example by promoting running as a Hudson team or organizing and providing fruit baskets at the offices;
• During the pandemic of covid19, Hudson took the necessary measures in line with the WHO.
Hudson provided his employees -on a regularly basis- information about the measures taken and the company’s strategy in these turbulent times, by organizing webinars with the CEO, mails with more details and notes. (see annexes)
Our IT and R&D department took the necessary measures to allow the employees to work remotely from home, via the GlobalProtect VPN solution and Microsoft Teams. Workload cross department was reorganized as much as possible to keep our employees at work. We have improved our support for homeworking during lockdown and we also took childcare in consideration for the many parents amongst our employees. We kept communicating about our online business continuity options towards our clients, candidates & coachees.
Although we keep stimulating homework where possible, we also took the necessary measurements to make the return and presence in the office safe. We used a ‘Checklist Exitscenario Hudson’, to make sure we didn't miss anything:
o We used a ‘Checklist Exitscenario Hudson’, to make sure we didn't miss anything
o We have set up specific guidelines
 For employees internally
 For freelancers
 For employees visiting prospects or clients on site
 For candidates and clients visiting our offices
o Mouth mask mandatory when moving in the office building;
o Plexiglas screens at the reception, in interview rooms and meeting rooms;
o Maximum number of people indicated for each room;
o Disinfecting hand gel available (disinfection columns);
o We have a workplace registration procedure: each workstation is numbered and the employees working in the office must register at the workstation in question. This allows us to do proper contract tracing if necessary;
o Our cleaning team receives every day the list of used workstations and disinfects them thoroughly;
o We installed an automated temperature measurement device in our offices in Ghent and Brussels. In our smaller offices (Hasselt & Antwerp), a front head no touch thermometer is used. With this extra measure, we also protect the candidates and clients who visit us and give them a clear sign that their safety is important to us;
o We keep doors open where possible and installed elbow door handles on doors that close automatically;
o In October 2020, all our employees are offered an Influenza vaccine at Hudson’s expense and free of charge. Priority is given to employees over 50.

Supporting documents can be provide if required.

• Our statistics have shown that we have a low accident rate. Accidents are always thoroughly examined and prevention actions are taken immediately to prevent future accidents. Several policies are in place such as prevention of bike accidents, accidents during teambuilding’s, et cetera;

All possible risks in our company have been properly assessed and a global prevention plan for a period of 5 years is established. This plan contains the risk analysis, the measures to take, goals we want to achieve regarding those risks, and the concrete actions. Every year this plan is revised and a year action plan is defined.

• To help our employees grow, Hudson offers training for new employees (Hudson Discovery), assessment trainings for consultants (f. ex. training 5+1 Compas®), HR On Stage (info sessions on current HR topics – see example in annex), on the job coaching, full access to our tools, coach cafés, etc.
For example, 8.883 hours training were given in 2019, including both internal and external trainings.

• See public social balance sheet 2019
• Monitoring facts and figures around internal mobility (annexes can be provided)

• The Hudson Belgium NV Code of Business Conduct states that

“The Company’s businesses must be conducted in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Any illegal action will be dealt with swiftly and violations will be reported to the proper authorities and offenders will be subject to disciplinary action by the Company."

“The Company has clearly expressed its belief in the value of respect. Therefore, everyone should be treated with uncompromising respect, civility and fairness. This value extends not only to employees but also to customers, suppliers, competitors, and external advisers.”

• Hudson has a written labour standard, applicable to all persons working in the company based on a labour agreement without distinction of race, age, function or nationality. This standard is complying with legislation on minimum wages, working hours and employee benefits.
• Concerning equal employment opportunity policy, it states the following:
“The Company adheres to a policy of strict conformity with employment laws in the jurisdictions in which the Company conducts business. It is the Company’s policy to employ and advance in employment qualified persons with regard only to the professional capabilities of the individual as compared to the requirements of the job. Where necessary, the Company will provide reasonable accommodation for employees’ disabilities. Anyone who has questions related to this policy should contact the Company’s Chief People Officer.”

Hudson wants to avoid any kind of discrimination at the workplace or in its recruitment processes nor direct, indirect or by prejudice.
As a Federgon Certified Member, we always act respectful and non-discriminating towards our customers and during assignments.

• Hudson believes that a good business sense is established by respecting the privacy of its employees.
Hudson has created a privacy policy. This policy describes the principles that should be respected whenever personal data (of clients, candidates and Hudson employees) is processed. It’s applicable to all employees of Hudson who process personal data of candidates, clients or internal Hudson employees. It is an integral part of the terms and conditions of employment.

• Hudson wants to prevent inhumane or depredating treatment of his employees at all times. Possible risks are evaluated case by case and actions will be taken. Every case will also be reported (respecting privacy).
• Hudson rewards its employees fairly with a salary depending on experience and competences, 13th month pay and holiday pay. Different non-wage compensations like a hospital insurance plan (including family members), group insurance, catering service at reduced prices (free drinks), profit sharing, etc., can be added.
We keep improving our pay package with KM or bike allowances, third party agreement with De Lijn/MIVB, extended group insurance & mobile phones, eco cheques & meal vouchers, portables & screen options.
• Every employee has access to a personal ‘Employee Self Service’ platform with an overview of his/her payslip(s), information about it, personal information, Who’s Who in het company, contract details, holiday planning, etc.

We keep improving our pay package with KM or bike allowances, third party agreement with De Lijn/MIVB, extended group insurance & mobile phones, eco cheques & meal vouchers, portables & screen options.

Every employee has access to a personal ‘Employee Self Service’ platform with an overview of his/her payslip(s), information about it, personal information, Who’s Who in het company, contract details, holiday planning, etc.

The most important emissions for our company are generated from office energy use and business travel. We want to decrease our environmental footprint by minimizing the need to use energy, to upgrade our buildings and to choose an ecological car policy.

• In 2019, our Internal green team was born: highly dedicated employees who unite in a taskforce to constantly investigate & propose measures to lower our ecological footprint.
They explored measures concerning:
o Reusable cups and tap water
o Reduction of CO2 emissions from business travel
o Environmental cleanups
o Stimulation of public transport and blue bike
o Green vision towards customers (for example in strategic workshops, performance management, salary policy, surveys, …)
o The use of skype for business and other digital platforms to make working (and remotely more comfortable and appealing

• In Q4 of 2019, we went a step further by setting up a Taskforce Sustainability, a cross-border group where we will elaborate and implement a sustainability policy for Hudson.
A kick-off meeting took place to elaborate the current sustainability policy and add more ambitions. In a 3-year-plan we want to define our ambitions and set year-to-year targets. Two members of the Leadership Team are participating in this taskforce to create a wider base of support top down in the organization.

• Measures to reduce CO2 emissions from business travel through offering alternative solutions: electrical cars in fleet, buildings equipped with charging stations, mobility allowance instead of company car, bicycle and public transport allowances, stimulation of carpooling, yearly participation in Mobility week with multiple initiatives to encourage eco-friendly transport, encouraging of driving eco-friendly, avoid business travel by using remote office tools, …
We signed the Mobility Charter of the ‘Pioneering Employer’. This charter gives organizations a framework and extra incentive to embed hybrid working and the new mobility in a policy in which the employee is central. The charter also wants to be the start of a dialogue about hybrid working and new mobility;
• Reduce energy consumption through renting more energy efficient buildings;
• During the pandemic of covid 19, our IT department made it possible to keep working remotely from home, for all business departments, via the GlobalProtect VPN solution and Microsoft Teams.
Our R&D department worked to digitalize all our assessment tools in order to keep serving our clients. As telework will remain the norm for an indefinite period of time, this will have a positive contribution to the environment;
We keep continuing our cross-BU remote AC journey and expanding our remote AC exercises;

• Work practices implemented to reduce and/or recycle
o Waste & in particular paper & cardboard waste:
40% reduction in print compared to 2019 (Jan-Sept); automation of signing process for documents and digitalization of our contracts and signatures (since 2019) ; creating staff involvement and rules concerning printing; joining World Paper Free day op 6 November 2019 and organized a cleanup of our offices and created as much as possible paper free desks; …
Central storage points and segregation;
Team clean up in September 2019;
o Plastics: consumptions in glass bottles; hot drinks in mugs
With the launch of our new website in September 2020, all employees received a small gift, a doppler bottle, to make the new logo tangible for them personally. This bottle is produced sustainable, the bottle itself can also be fully recycled.
o Toners & cartridges
o Water: automatic flushing, saving buttons, only cold water, employer awareness around leaks and malfunctions to be reported, stimulation of tap water in all our offices, ….
o IT material
To recycle our ICT, electric and electronic devices, we work together with Out Of Use (https://www.outofuse.com/). They maximize the reuse of equipment and if not possible, the recycling.
Out of Use is cooperating with Natuurpunt to plant more trees. For every old PC, laptop, smartphone or server, Natuurpunt buys 1 m² of land to plant a tree. For example in Q2 2020, we recycled 11 laptops, 50 PC’s and 58 cellphones. With these, 56 m² of forest land was bought by Natuurpunt to plant trees.
o Furniture
Office equipment is ordered and stored centrally and reused when possible. Some furniture is purchased from Burodiscount. They offer second-hand office furniture saved from the container and given a second life.

• Sustainable procurement
o Evaluation of possible suppliers during primer negotiations in terms of CSR principles:
 Commercial relationships based on integrity, respect and professionalism;
 Zero tolerance to corruption and fraudulent conduct;
 Laws and regulations are complied concerning labour practices and human rights;
 Attention to Employees health and safety and development of human capital;
 Environmental laws and regulations are complied;
 Minimization of relevant environmental impacts and promotion of best practices;
 Reduction of energy consumption;
o Cooperate mainly with local suppliers, to reduce emissions from deliveries
o Use a maximum of local and biological products

• Member of the Shift since May 2019. This is a Belgian Network for sustainability to co-create sustainable business models together with other members.
• To stimulate healthy living, we offer fruit for our employees. One of our suppliers is Fruitful Office. In addition to delivering fresh fruits, they plant a fruit tree in Malawi for every fruit basket a customer consumes. For example, in the period July-September 2019 our company has planted 16 trees!
• We organize a Veggie Thursday in our business restaurant;
• Stimulate overall employee awareness, commitment and responsibility.

* We signed the Mobility Charter of the ‘Pioneering Employer’
* 40% reduction in print compared to 2019
* 56 m² of forest land was bought by Natuurpunt to plant trees (through recycled laptops, PC's and cellphones of Hudson)
* Member of the Shift
* In the period July-September 2019 our company has planted 16 trees in cooperation with Fruitful Office

The Hudson Belgium NV Code of Business Conduct states that
“The Company has clearly expressed its belief in the value of respect. Therefore, everyone should be treated with uncompromising respect, civility and fairness. This value extends not only to employees but also to customers, suppliers, competitors, and external advisers.”

COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS GENERALLY
“The Company’s businesses must be conducted in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Any illegal action will be dealt with swiftly and violations will be reported to the proper authorities and offenders will be subject to disciplinary action by the Company. In keeping with our commitment to integrity, there may be isolated instances where local laws are unacceptable. For example, even if it were not illegal in other countries, the Company does not want to obtain or retain business by giving gifts to officials of a government or a multinational organization either to influence any of their official acts, or to induce them to use their influence to affect any governmental act. In addition, employees should never give a gift to any person or firm where he or she has reason to believe that the gift will be passed on to a government official for such purposes. Employees and directors must never make improper gifts or payments, such as bribes or kickbacks, in any way in
connection with the Company’s business.”

FINANCIAL AND ACCOUNTING PRACTICES
“Employees and directors must comply with the Company’s accounting rules, internal controls and with generally accepted accounting practices and cooperate fully with the Company’s external auditors. All funds, assets, transactions and payments must be accurately reflected and no false or misleading entries may be made on corporate records. Payments for goods and services provided to the Company must be payable to the person or company legally entitled to receive payment. Receipts must be provided for all Company payments and gifts. Employees seeking reimbursement for expenses should refer to the Company’s Expense Policy.”

GRATUITIES AND GIFTS
“Employees and directors should not accept significant gifts, entertainment, favors or other gratuities from persons doing business or seeking to do business with the Company. These gifts could impair or appear to impair an employee’s or director’s ability to act independently in the best interests of the Company. Acceptance of gratuities having nominal value, if consistent with local business custom and practice, is permissible. Employees are also prohibited from giving significant gifts, entertainment, favors or gratuities unless following targeted marketing actions following Company Policies. No employee should give or receive gifts of cash. If you have questions about the appropriateness of a gift or gratuity, please speak to your coach, your Responsible Manager, or the Company’s Chief People Officer.”

• Hudson adheres to certain principles to protect the intrinsic value of our common brand. By stimulating employees to be all brand ambassadors, we believe the risk of corruption and bribery will be reduced.
Every new employee is invited to follow the discovery training to get to know Hudson. During this training, our mission, culture and values (integrity, respect, collaboration, empowerment, and responsibility) are covered.
• Hudson has created a Privacy Policy, which describes the principles that should be respected whenever personal data (of clients, candidates and Hudson employees) is processed.
• Hudson has created a Privacy Governance Charter is to describe the framework that must ensure that personal data within Hudson is processed in accordance with the legal privacy requirements, including but not limited to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The implementation of a Privacy Governance Charter with clear roles and responsibilities will aid to ensure that the Hudson privacy policies, processes and control measures are operationally embedded within the organization.
It contains the following topics:
o An overview of the privacy governance activities;
o A description of the three lines principle;
o A description of the roles and responsibilities for privacy governance.

• Hudson Belgium NV is a Federgon Certified Member and signed the Quality Charter.
https://federgon.be/de-leden/
We are committed to:
o ethical business
o respecting confidentiality of data
o employing competent staff
o providing correct information
o behaviour with customers
o respecting a complaint procedure
o behaviour with applicants, employees and self-employed
o spreading the Quality Charter

• During assessments, we use the '4 eyes principle': always using 2 consultants as a quality guideline.