Compliance
& Ethics

Every counterparty — buyer, supplier, freight forwarder, intermediary, or financial institution — is screened against applicable sanctions lists before any business relationship is initiated and on a periodic basis thereafter. Screening covers the OFAC Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, the EU Consolidated List of Sanctioned Persons and Entities, the UN Security Council Consolidated List, and HM Treasury's UK Financial Sanctions List where relevant.

Screening is conducted before the first inquiry response, before issuance of any quotation, and before execution of any contract. No engagement proceeds until a clean screening result is confirmed and documented. If a match or potential match is identified, the engagement is paused and the matter is reviewed before any further action is taken.

Sovern House maintains a zero-tolerance policy for bribery and corruption in any form. This applies to all transactions regardless of jurisdiction. Our policy reflects the requirements of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), the UK Bribery Act 2010, and applicable Taiwanese anti-corruption statutes.

No facilitation payments are authorized under any circumstances. All gifts, entertainment, and hospitality involving government officials or business partners must be reasonable in value, transparent in purpose, and documented. No agent, distributor, or representative is authorized to make payments on behalf of Sovern House that would violate applicable anti-bribery law.

Factory relationships and supplier agreements are maintained on commercial terms. Selection of suppliers is based on quality, compliance track record, capacity, and price — not on personal benefit to any Sovern House employee or representative.

Sovern House operates within applicable export control frameworks governing the goods we handle and the jurisdictions we serve. This includes the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR) administered by the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), EU dual-use export control regulations, and relevant Taiwanese export licensing requirements.

Before accepting an order involving goods with potential dual-use classification or involving a country subject to export restrictions, we assess the applicable control classification and confirm that no license or prohibition applies. We do not facilitate re-exports of controlled goods to restricted destinations. Clients are expected to comply with applicable import regulations in their own jurisdictions, and Sovern House will not knowingly facilitate arrangements that circumvent lawful controls.

Our QC process is independent of the supplier relationship. Inspection outcomes are reported accurately regardless of their impact on the transaction timeline. A failed pre-shipment inspection is reported to the client as a failure — it is not renegotiated with the factory before the client is informed, and it is not passed at reduced standards to protect a commercial relationship.

Where third-party inspection agencies are engaged, their engagement terms do not create conflicts of interest with the inspection outcome. Inspection reports are provided to clients in unaltered form. We do not accept undisclosed commercial arrangements from factories that could influence inspection results.

Personal data submitted through this website — including names, email addresses, company names, and inquiry details — is processed for the purpose of responding to inquiries and maintaining business relationships. Data is not sold to third parties, not used for unsolicited marketing without consent, and not shared with parties outside the transaction unless required by law or with the data subject's explicit consent. Privacy Policy.

Any party — client, supplier, or business partner — who has a concern about Sovern House's compliance with applicable law, our stated policies, or ethical standards is encouraged to raise it directly at info@sovernhouse.co with the subject line "Compliance Concern." All concerns are reviewed and responded to. Retaliation against any party for raising a good-faith compliance concern is prohibited.