Our business integrity

Preventing financial crime

Financial crime harms society and governments. We do not tolerate any form of financial crime and actively manage risks related to it.

What does this mean for JTI?

Financial crime can adversely affect JTI’s business and reputation. The penalties for committing or facilitating financial crime can be serious for both JTI and its employees, even if JTI or the person responsible does not benefit from the activities carried out.

Financial crime includes money laundering, tax evasion, the facilitation of tax evasion and terrorist financing.

--> Money laundering is the process of converting money obtained illegally into apparently legitimate money or other assets.

--> Tax evasion involves taking measures to avoid making required tax payments.

--> Facilitation of tax evasion means assisting a business partner or other third party to evade taxes.

--> Terrorist financing involves the solicitation, collection or provision of funds with the intention that they may be used to support terrorist acts or organizations.

What does this mean to me as an employee?

I must not engage in or facilitate any form of financial crime. I can refer to the JTI’s Preventing Financial Crime (PFC) procedure which defines the framework and controls to mitigate the financial crime risks.

If I am asked to carry out an act which could lead to financial crime, I refuse to act and immediately report it. I speak up if I become suspicious that a colleague or business partner might be involved in financial crime.

What does this mean for our business partners?

We expect our business partners, including those associated with our business partner (such as directors, employees, representatives, subcontractors, or persons supplying or acting on behalf of the business partner) not to engage in any activity, practice or conduct that would constitute a financial crime. We will exercise our right to terminate contractual arrangements where business partners are involved in any form of financial crime.

If a business partner is asked to carry out an act which may result in financial crime, they must immediately report their concern via onebehavior@jti.com.

What situations could this apply to?

Here are some examples of potential financial crime:

  • A business partner has asked me to redirect a payment to an offshore bank account registered to a third party which I am not familiar with and I suspect the reason for this is to evade tax.
  • A customer has asked me to wrongly classify the goods/services they purchased on their invoice to reduce the VAT, other taxes or duties that are due.

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