Ethics: At the heart of corporate culture

“Ethics” refers to the principles that govern our behavior and decisions. How we behave in our relationships with one another is a reflection of the ethics we uphold.

The company’s mission, as well as its values and commitments, must serve to guide all of Hydro‑Québec’s activities.

Our values—the common good, inclusion, courage and innovation—reflect Hydro‑Québec’s social responsibility toward its customers and the community. But this is only possible with the ongoing support of the company’s directors, executives and staff.

Hydro‑Québec provides its employees with tools—including a Code of Ethics, training, communications on ethics, an ethics hotline and an email inbox—to help them respect and uphold the company’s commitments.

Code of Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct for members of the Board of Directors, Executives of Hydro‑Québec and its wholly owned subsidiaries

The Code of Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct for Board of Directors, Executives of Hydro‑Québec and its wholly owned subsidiaries was first approved by the Board of Directors in June 1994 and has been updated and enhanced over the years.

The code applies to members of the Board of Directors, its President and CEO and other executives of Hydro‑Québec and its wholly owned subsidiaries.

Code of Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct for Directors, Executives and Controllers of Hydro‑Québec and its wholly owned subsidiaries [PDF 292 KB - in French only]

Code of Ethics

The employee Code of Ethics, which applies to Hydro‑Québec employees and its wholly owned subsidiaries, sets high standards of judgment and behaviour in the professional activities of all Hydro‑Québec employees. The code also applies to Hydro‑Québec’s President and CEO and other executives. Published in 1996, it has been periodically updated since.

Code of Ethics [PDF 1.52 MB]

The Code of Ethics is also available in a podcast format and comes in a full length completed version [59 min. 46 se.] or  six episodes series - in French only.

Code of Ethics, adapted version for wholly owned subsidiaries [PDF 1.63 MB]

Baladodiffusion intégrale

Duration: 59 minutes 46 seconds

Supplier Code of Conduct

The Supplier Code of Conduct sets out Hydro‑Québec’s expectations with respect to suppliers with whom it has a business relationship (any connection or exchange, verbal or written, with or without a contract) as well as their subcontractors. The code is in addition to the applicable laws, regulations, standards and rules in force in Québec as well as any existing contractual commitments between Hydro‑Québec and its suppliers.

Ethics are the cornerstone of this code. This means that suppliers must, in their business relations with Hydro‑Québec, act with integrity, honesty and professionalism and adhere to the highest ethical standards while respecting human rights and the environment, in order to maintain and strengthen public confidence in the company.

Supplier Code of Conduct [PDF 120 KB]

Reporting Misconduct, Harassment or Discrimination, or Requesting Support or Mediation

In order to preserve trust in Hydro‑Québec and maintain high standards of integrity and ethics, Hydro‑Québec’s Board of Directors and management make a misconduct reporting service available to all. In addition, they provide Hydro‑Québec employees with a support and mediation service in the event of a difficult situation in the workplace. This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Are You Experiencing a Concern at Work?

Share your observations of workplace misconduct or concern with us by completing one of the three secure forms below or by calling 1 866 384‑4783. All reports and requests for support and mediation are treated as confidential. Individuals who make reports in good faith, or who cooperate with a validation or investigation, are protected from retaliation.

Report Discrimination or Harassment

I am experiencing or witnessing harassment (psychological or sexual) or discrimination, namely:

  • distressing conduct that manifests itself in repeated behaviors, words, actions or gestures that are hostile or unwanted. This conduct affects the dignity or psychological or physical integrity of the victim and results in a harmful work environment for the victim
  • a single instance of distressing, hostile or unwanted conduct that is severe, demeaning to the victim’s dignity or psychological or physical integrity and results in a harmful work environment for the victim and a continuing harmful effect
  • a situation in which there is an intentional or unintentional distinction, exclusion or preference based on any of the following grounds: race, color, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, age (except as provided by law), religion, political convictions, language, ethnic or national origin, social condition, disability or the use of any means to remedy such disability

https://app.integritycounts.ca/org/Harcelement [in French only]

Report Misconduct (Other than Discrimination or Harassment)

I am experiencing or witnessing behavior which is in violation of the Hydro‑Québec’s Code of Ethics, Code of Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct for Directors and Executives of Hydro‑Québec and Its Wholly Owned Subsidiaries or Hydro‑Québec’s Supplier Code of Conduct. Here are a few examples:

  • a conflict of interests or collusion
  • fraud
  • an act of corruption
  • theft of goods, time, ressources, etc.
  • an act or omission that seriously compromises or could seriously compromise a person’s health or safety, or the environment

https://app.integritycounts.ca/org/Ethique [in French only]

Requesting Support or Mediation

  1. I am a Hydro-Québec employee

    and

  2. I am experiencing a difficult situation at work

  • I feel wronged as a result of an interpretation or application of an internal process.
  • I am experiencing tension or conflict with my manager or a co-worker.
  • I feel like I’ve been experiencing incivility, abuse of power or discrimination.

https://app.integritycounts.ca/org/mediation [in French only]

You can also read the Policy for reporting on Hydro‑Québec’s activities and requesting support or mediation in the event of a difficult situation in the workplace and the FAQ.

Deintegration

In 1997 and subsequent years, Hydro‑Québec restructured itself into divisions, which enabled it to obtain a power marketer’s licence and sell electricity at market prices on U.S. wholesale markets. This structural unbundling is known as deintegration.

In 2021, the divisions were replaced by groups. The concept of deintegration continues to be strictly applied for all activities for which it is necessary to prevent any form of cross-subsidization or to ensure a level playing field for all market players. To this end, rules of conduct and ethics were enacted and integrated into internal directives, which are briefly described below:

Transmission Provider Code of Conduct: Governs relations between the Transmission Provider and its affiliates, and is intended to prevent any form of preferential treatment or cross-subsidization.

Reliability Coordinator Code of Conduct: Ensures that the reliability of the transmission system remains the Reliability Coordinator’s top priority and prevents any form of preferential treatment in favor of other structural units of the Transmission Provider, its affiliates or other system users.

Code of Ethics on Conducting Calls for Tenders: Ensures that the Distributor’s tendering process is conducted fairly for all electricity suppliers.

Distributor Code of Conduct: Regulates transactions between the Distributor and the Generator for non-tendered electricity supply in order to ensure that the Generator does not benefit from any unfair advantage. It also governs dealings between the Distributor and its affiliates, with the aim of preventing affiliates’ business operations from being subsidized, in whole or in part, by electricity service customers.

The application of each of these codes is the subject of an annual accountability report to the Régie de l’énergie.