Purpose

This policy sets out Greenheart’s position on lobbying and the commitments we will uphold to ensure that any lobbying activity we engage in is aligned with our values and contributes positively to society, the environment and/or a regenerative economy.

Definition of lobbying

For the purposes of this policy, Greenheart defines lobbying as:

• Communicating directly or indirectly with public officials, political decision-makers, or representatives to influence public decision-making
• Attempting directly or indirectly to influence public opinion (beyond our normal advertising/marketing of our services and expertise) with the aim of impacting public decision-making

Examples of what these advocacy activities look like within the context of Greenheart include supporting a campaign event, signing petitions or signing up to industry coalitions that are advocating for a specific position.

Scoping

The commitments set out in this Responsible Lobbying Policy apply to:

• The activities carried out by Greenheart as an entity, as well as by all individual core team members representing Greenheart in their professional capacity
• Any freelancers or third parties acting on behalf of Greenheart
• All political contributions, financial or in-kind (i.e. pro-bono work), made by or on behalf of the company

Our responsible lobbying commitments

Greenheart commits to the following:

• To engage only in advocacy and lobbying activities that contribute to a positive impact on society, the environment and/or a regenerative economy
• Not to engage knowingly in activities that contribute a negative impact on society or the environment and, where possible, we will use our voice to ensure the lobbying or engagement activities of others are met with a balanced response that is aligned to our values and commitments to positive impact for society and/or the environment
  
• Any lobbying or advocacy activities we engage in will be informed by either reliable or scientific data (or both)
  
• Any political donations or in-kind contributions that we make will be fully aligned with our approach to responsible lobbying and commitment to contribute positively to society, the environment and/or a regenerative economy. Any financial or in-kind support provided to industry initiatives or advocacy groups will be fully documented and disclosed annually via our impact report 
• Greenheart does not tolerate any form of bribery or corruption in any form; any lobbying or advocacy activities carried out will be done so in accordance with our Bribery & Corruption Policy

Embedding the policy

The commitments laid out in this policy will be embedded through the following processes:

• Monitoring and disclosure: Ecosystem members that intend to engage in lobbying or advocacy activities on behalf of/while representing Greenheart are expected to disclose their intentions and position with the rest of the team via appropriate internal channels (such as the Hive Mind slack channel or drop-in meeting). Employees must keep a record of all lobbying or advocacy activities (beyond the scope of our normal marketing activities) in our Lobbying & Advocacy Register
• Employee access and awareness: This Responsible Lobbying Policy is available for Greenheart employees to access at any time via the Greenheart Guide, and is also included as a part of new starter onboarding. The policy will be reviewed annually and any amends/updates will be communicated to the team via the ‘Announcements’ Slack channel
• Contracts and operational procedures: The commitments and requirements outlined in this Responsible Lobbying Policy are incorporated into all relevant contracts and operational procedures

Raising concerns and grievances

Stakeholders who wish to raise concerns about our business conduct and lobbying practices can do so via the Contact page on the Greenheart website.

Governance

The Chief Ecosystem Officer has the ultimate responsibility and accountability for ensuring that all members of the Greenheart ecosystem understand and uphold the commitments laid out in this policy.

Monitoring and review

This policy will be monitored and updated as needed to maintain its relevance and effectiveness. Greenheart is growing as both a business and an ecosystem and we expect that our lobbying activities may evolve over time. We will therefore ensure that this policy is closely monitored, reviewed and updated as needed to ensure it is comprehensive, relevant and effective.