Travel & Expense Policy

Effective Date: 1/Mar/2026
Applies To: All employees of BloomchemAG Pvt. Ltd. who travel for official sales-related work, meetings, training, or other business purposes, whether within city (intra-city), between cities, or out-of-city travel.

1. Purpose

To ensure clarity, consistency, fairness, and cost control in business travel; to define what travel costs are reimbursable; to ensure travel arrangements are pre-approved; and to protect both the company and employees against misunderstandings, disputes, or liabilities.

Term

Definition

Travel

Any journey undertaken by an employee on behalf of the company for official work, including meetings, client visits, training, etc.

Local Travel (Intra-city)

Travel within the city of posting or base / head office.

Outstation Travel

Travel beyond city limits, or to another city, which may involve overnight stay, train/flight, etc.

Night-Stay

Any stay involving an overnight absence from primary residence or base of work.

Reporting Manager / HOD

The employee’s immediate supervisor (or higher) who must approve travel agenda, expenses, etc.

Official Email Approval

All travel agendas, expense estimates, and bookings must be approved via company email by Manager / HOD before travel / booking.

3. Travel Mode & Class

Level

≤600 km

>600 km / Long Distance

L1

Train 3AC

Flight Economy (with prior approval)

L2

Train 3AC

Flight Economy

L3

Train 3AC (if feasible)

Flight Economy (mandatory)

L4

Optional Train 3AC

Flight Economy / Premium Economy (pre-approved)

L5

Optional Train 3AC

Flight Business / Premium Economy (pre-approved)

Travelling Through Own Convenience for Company Purpose

Employees may use their own vehicles for official travel when required. The following reimbursement guidelines apply:

1. Mode of Travel & Reimbursement Rate

• Car: ₹8 per kilometer
  
  

• Bike: ₹5 per kilometer
  
  

2. Pre-Approval Requirement

• Total travel distance and estimated cost must be pre-approved by the reporting manager before the travel.
  
  

• Travel should be planned according to the approved route and purpose only.
  
  

3. Terms & Conditions

• Any deviation from the approved route or mode of transport without prior approval may lead to non-reimbursement of expenses.
  
  

• Distance verification may be done through Google Maps or other reliable sources.
  
  

• Claims without proper approval or valid supporting documents will not be processed.
  
  

4. Travel Agenda & Approval

●  Before any travel is booked, the employee must submit a Travel Agenda via email (to their Reporting Manager / HOD), containing:

1.     Purpose of travel (meeting/client/training etc.)

2.     Location & dates (departure & return)

3.     Estimated costs (travel, lodging, meals, local transport)

4.     Mode of travel intended (train / flight / taxi etc.)

●  Manager / HOD must approve in writing (email) the agenda, mode of travel, and budget estimates before any bookings are made.

5. Accommodation & Stay Budget

●  The company will reimburse lodging expenses subject to quality and safety. Employees are encouraged to choose hotels with reasonable standards, ideally corporate tie-ups if available.

●  Maximum room rate per night (room only), depending on city category:

Level

Tier-1 Cities (Metro)

Tier-2 Cities / State Capitals

Smaller Cities / Towns

L1

₹2,500

₹1,500

₹1,500

L2

₹3,000

₹2,000

₹2,000

L3

₹3,500

₹2,500

₹2,500

L4

₹4,500

₹3,000

₹3,000

L5

₹5,500

₹4,000

₹4,000

6. Meal / Food Allowance

●  For trips involving a night-stay, the company reimburses up to two meals per day (e.g., breakfast + dinner or lunch + dinner), subject to limits.

●  Suggested meal limits (excluding taxes / service charge):

Level

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

L1

₹200

₹350

₹400

L2

₹250

₹400

₹500

L3

₹300

₹500

₹500

L4

₹400

₹600

₹600

L5

₹500

₹700

₹700

●  If any meal is provided by the host / during the meeting / hotel (e.g., breakfast included in hotel), then that meal is not reimbursable or is reduced.

●  Lunch / Dinner with clients may be separately reimbursed but must be reasonable; alcoholic beverages generally not covered, unless special approval.

7. Local Conveyance & Other Travel-Related Costs

●  Costs from home-Office ↔ train station / airport / meeting location are reimbursable under local conveyance. Use of taxis / rideshare / public transport is allowed; selection should balance cost/time.

●  Any travel booked through third-party agents or travel portals must reflect the lowest reasonable rate; higher cost requires justification & prior approval.

Level

Recommended Mode

Notes

L1–L2

Taxi / Rideshare / Public Transport

Cost-effective, time-efficient

L3–L5

Company car / Taxi / Rideshare

Balance cost and efficiency; reimbursement based on actuals

8. Reimbursement Procedure

●  Employees must submit travel expense claims within 7 business days after return / completion of trip. Delays may lead to delayed reimbursement.

●  Required supporting documents:

1.     Travel tickets (train / flight)

2.     Boarding cards (if applicable)

3.     Hotel / lodging bills / invoice

4.     Meal bills / vouchers (where reimbursable)

5.     Local conveyance bills / receipts

6.     Approved travel agenda email

●  If bills are missing, reimbursement may be partial, or require special approval; non-receipt of bills is the employee’s responsibility.

9. Liability, Disclaimers & Exclusions

●  The company is not liable for miscellaneous/unforeseen factors during travel, stay, or food (e.g., sickness, theft, delays, cancellation of transport etc.), except where proven company negligence.

●  Employees must take care of their safety, follow travel advisories, and maintain necessary insurance if traveling outstation.

●  No reimbursement will be made for personal expenses (e.g., entertainment, personal phone calls, minibar, movies, alcohol, spa etc.), unless explicitly approved as part of a business dinner / client meeting.

●  Employee’s personal email or personal arrangements for travel / stay are at their own risk if not approved by the company.

10. Special Circumstances

●  If travel plans are disrupted due to natural calamities, strikes, cancellations, delays, or circumstances beyond control, the employee should immediately inform Reporting Manager / HR. Additional costs may be reimbursed or considered on a case-by-case basis.

●  In urgent business requirement (e.g., meeting cannot wait), exceptions to class of travel or lodging may be made, but pre-approval is mandatory from senior leadership (HOD / Director).

11. Violations & Non-Compliance

●  Any booking or expense that does not adhere to this policy may be:

1.     Reduced or denied reimbursement;

2.     Subject to recovery from employee if unauthorized or excessive;

3.     Recorded in employee’s performance record if repeated misuse occurs.

12. Policy Review

●  This policy will be reviewed annually (or more frequently if needed) by HR in consultation with Finance, to ensure relevance, cost effectiveness, alignment with inflation, travel costs etc.

Disclaimers

1. Employee Responsibility for Communication

   • All employees are responsible for ensuring timely approval of travel itineraries via official company email before commencement of travel. Any lapses in checking or responding to official communications will not be considered the company’s fault.

2. Mode of Travel Limitation

   • The company will reimburse only for travel modes and categories specified under this policy (e.g., Train 3AC for ≤600 km, Economy Class for standard travel). Any upgrades, deviations, or unapproved modes of travel will be the sole financial responsibility of the employee.

3. Stay & Meal Allowances

   • Reimbursements for hotel stays and meals will be strictly limited to the budget caps mentioned in this policy. Any expense above these caps must be borne by the employee personally, unless pre-approved in writing by management.

4. Booking Liability

   • The travel desk or the person arranging bookings will not be held responsible for issues such as flight delays, hotel service quality, food quality, cancellation charges, or any other third-party lapses. The company’s role is limited to facilitating approved bookings.

5. Risk, Misuse & Misconduct

   • The company will not be held liable for any accidents, personal misconduct, negligence, or losses occurring outside the scope of official travel.

   • Misrepresentation of expenses, false claims, or misuse of company resources for personal bookings will invite strict disciplinary action, including recovery of costs, suspension of travel privileges, or termination.

Additional Disclaimers

1. Approval Precedence
   
   
   

○  This policy applies uniformly; however, in case of conflict between policy guidelines and specific written instructions from management, the latter will prevail.

2. Taxation & Compliance
   
   
   

○  All reimbursements are subject to applicable tax laws, GST rules, and company finance policies. Employees must provide GST-compliant bills wherever applicable; non-compliant bills may not be reimbursed.

3. Company’s Right to Amend
   
   
   

○  The company reserves the right to revise, suspend, or withdraw this policy, fully or partially, at any time without prior notice, based on business needs.

4. Non-Binding Nature of Allowances
   
   
   

○  Budgets, limits, and allowances specified herein are maximum caps, not entitlements. They are reimbursable only against actual expenses incurred and supported by valid bills.

5. No Waiver of Misuse
   
   
   

○  Any exception made in a particular case shall not be deemed a waiver or precedent for future cases. Misrepresentation, inflated bills, or misuse will be treated as gross misconduct and may lead to disciplinary action including recovery, suspension, or termination.

6. Risk & Insurance
   
   
   

○  Employees are responsible for their own travel documents, personal belongings, and health insurance (unless otherwise arranged by the company). The company will not be liable for loss/damage to personal property, health issues, or third-party negligence during travel.

7. Mandatory Communication
   
   
   

○  Employees must keep their Reporting Manager informed in case of delays, cancellations, emergencies, or deviations. Failure to do so may result in non-reimbursement of associated costs.

Approved by: ____________________
Designation: ____________________
Date: ____________________

Travel Desk-

BloomchemAG

Human Resource Management

Employee Level Mapping

Level

Job Title

L1

Administration

Driver

Office Assistant

Personal Assistant

Receptionist

Security Officer

Servants

L2

Accounts Executive

Financial Analyst

HR Executive

Relationship Manager

Sales - Retail Distribution

L3

Senior Accounts Executive

Senior Manager

Senior Relationship Manager

Snr. Digital Marketing Manager

Snr. Operation Executive

Sr. Manager

Sr. Relationship Manager

L4

A.V.P. Procurement Head

Assistant Vice President

AVP

Executive V.P.

Head Relationship Manager

HR - Business Partner

Vice President

Vice President Operations

L5

Managing Director