This Vendor Code of Conduct ("Code") sets out the ethical, labour, human rights, environmental, health and safety, legal, and operational expectations of Jugnu Innovations Private Limited ("Company", "we", "us", or "our") for vendors, suppliers, service providers, contractors, subcontractors, agents, and third-party partners supporting Zulu ("Vendors").
Vendors must communicate this Code within their organizations and to any third parties involved in supplying goods, services, equipment, technology, logistics, labour, or operational support for Zulu.
1. Compliance with laws and regulations
Vendors must comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including:
- Labour laws covering wages, working hours, leave, non-discrimination, workplace safety, POSH compliance, and prohibition of child, forced, or bonded labour.
- Food, packaging, labelling, metrology, consumer protection, tax, and ecommerce laws applicable to products supplied through Zulu.
- Environmental laws covering waste management, pollution prevention, emissions, recycling, and responsible disposal.
- Health and safety requirements for workplaces, warehouses, stores, vehicles, and delivery operations.
2. Financial integrity and documentation
Vendors must maintain complete and accurate records. Invoices, statements, claims, reimbursements, tax documents, delivery records, inventory records, product information, and certifications submitted to Zulu must be timely, truthful, and supported by appropriate documentation.
3. Anti-bribery, anti-corruption, and anti-fraud
Zulu has zero tolerance for bribery, corruption, kickbacks, fraudulent billing, collusion, misrepresentation, money laundering, tax evasion, offer misuse, or any undue advantage. Vendors must not offer, accept, request, or facilitate improper payments or benefits involving Zulu, its employees, customers, delivery partners, or other business partners.
4. Confidentiality and intellectual property
Vendors must protect confidential, proprietary, commercial, technical, operational, customer, employee, and business information shared by Zulu. Vendors must limit access to those with a legitimate business need, must not misuse Zulu materials, and must respect Zulu's intellectual property, systems, product data, brand assets, and technology.
5. Data privacy and protection
Vendors handling Zulu data must:
- Process personal and business data only for authorized Zulu purposes.
- Comply with applicable data protection laws, including the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, where applicable.
- Use reasonable security safeguards to prevent unauthorized access, loss, misuse, disclosure, or breach.
- Restrict data access to authorized personnel and approved systems.
- Not sell, transfer, share, or disclose Zulu data without prior written consent.
- Promptly notify Zulu of any actual or suspected data breach or unauthorized access.
- Ensure subcontractors handling Zulu data follow equivalent data protection standards.
6. Conflict of interest
Vendors must avoid actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest. Any personal, financial, employment, family, or other relationship with Zulu employees or representatives that may influence business decisions must be disclosed to support@zuluapp.in.
7. Product and service quality
Vendors must meet agreed quality, safety, authenticity, packaging, storage, hygiene, labelling, shelf-life, delivery, and service-level requirements. Vendors must not supply counterfeit, expired, unsafe, damaged, mislabelled, restricted, or non-compliant goods.
8. Fair competition and business conduct
Vendors must compete fairly and comply with applicable competition laws. Vendors must not engage in price fixing, bid rigging, market allocation, collusion, unauthorized sharing of sensitive commercial information, or unauthorized commitments on behalf of Zulu.
9. Grievance redressal and whistleblower protection
Vendors must maintain a fair internal grievance mechanism so workers and representatives can raise workplace concerns confidentially and without retaliation. Vendors should report ethical concerns, illegal activity, or misconduct involving Zulu or its representatives to support@zuluapp.in.
10. Labour and human rights
Vendors must:
- Prohibit child labour, forced labour, bonded labour, and human trafficking.
- Pay lawful wages and benefits and follow applicable working-hour requirements.
- Provide equal opportunity and a workplace free from harassment, abuse, and discrimination.
- Comply with the POSH Act and maintain dignity and safety for women in the workplace.
11. Health, safety, and environmental practices
Vendors must provide safe, clean, and hygienic workplaces and follow applicable environmental, health, and safety standards. Vendors should reduce waste, handle materials responsibly, maintain product storage standards, manage transport risks, and take reasonable steps toward sustainable operations.
12. Assessment, audit, and cooperation
Zulu may assess, audit, or review Vendor compliance with this Code, contractual obligations, law, and operating standards. Vendors must cooperate transparently, provide requested documentation, support investigations, and complete corrective actions within required timelines.
13. No authority to bind Zulu
Vendors must not represent, speak for, or commit Zulu to any obligation unless expressly authorized in writing. Misuse of Zulu's name, marks, data, customer relationships, or platform access may result in suspension, termination, and legal action.
14. Suspension or termination
Zulu may suspend, restrict, or terminate a Vendor relationship for breach of this Code, breach of contract, legal or reputational risk, fraud, safety concerns, product non-compliance, data misuse, or failure to meet Zulu's operational standards, subject to applicable law and contractual terms.
15. Reporting violations
Vendors must promptly report actual or suspected violations of this Code, law, contract terms, or incidents that may create legal, operational, customer, employee, reputational, data, health and safety, environmental, or financial risk for Zulu.
Reports should be made in good faith to support@zuluapp.in. Zulu will handle reports with appropriate confidentiality and will not tolerate retaliation against good-faith reporters.
Acknowledgment
By initiating or continuing a business relationship with Zulu, each Vendor confirms that it has read, understood, and agreed to comply with this Code. Zulu may amend this Code from time to time and will communicate material updates as appropriate.