Code of Conduct: Integrity Standard - Proper use of Corporate Assets

Policy

Company assets are to be used for the benefit of the Company. Company assets include, but are not limited to, corporate data, business strategies and plans, financial data, and other proprietary or confidential information about the Company business or its employees, equipment, furniture, vehicles, office supplies, corporate funds, credit cards, employee time, and computer supplies and software. We have a responsibility to protect the Company’s assets and to ensure that they are used for valid Company purposes.

We will use and maintain Company assets with the utmost care and respect, guarding against misuse, waste, abuse, loss, and theft.

We will not give confidential or proprietary Company information to unauthorized persons such as competitors, suppliers, or outside contractors without proper authorization.

Intellectual Property and Trade Secrets

Intellectual property and trade secrets includes all ideas, inventions, discoveries, improvements and innovations and includes but is not limited to the following categories:

New product design
Detailed financial or pricing
information
Trademarks
Logos

Marketing plans
Computer programs,
models and datebases
(including source codes)
Copyrights

The Company owns all intellectual property that we make, create, develop, write or conceive either on our own or with another person while employed by or contracted with the Company whether developed during working hours or not, and:

is related in any way to actual or anticipated business, research or development of the Company;
results from work assigned to or performed by us for the Company; and/or
is conceived or made with the use of Company systems, equipment, materials, facilities, computer programs, or confidential or proprietary business information.

Use of the Internet and other Electronic Media

The Company’s communication systems, e.g. phones, voice-mail, fax, e-mail, Internet, and Company intranet are to be used for business purposes. They may never be used to access, store, download or distribute materials that are:

unauthorized or personal, such as software, music, etc.
false
offensive, threatening or malicious;
criminal or promote criminal activity, or
sexually explicit

Company systems should not be used to send chain letters or personal broadcast messages.

Occasional personal use is allowed so long as such use does not interfere with the security or effectiveness of any system or interfere with our job performance.

The Company owns these communication systems; therefore, employees should have no expectations of rights to privacy. The Company reserves the right to access, monitor and disclose the contents of any communications, whether made for business or personal reasons in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.

Unauthorized Software

We will not make unauthorized copies of computer software programs or use personal software on Company computer equipment. The creating or loading of unauthorized software onto Company-owned PCs, workstations or other computer systems is strictly prohibited. Such unauthorized actions could cause the destruction of information or computer systems, technical problems (for example, incompatible drivers or commands, or viruses) or other substantial harm, if not approved by and coordinated with appropriate Company personnel in advance. In addition, the unauthorized copying or use of unauthorized software could be a violation of federal copyright laws and could result in civil and/or criminal liability.

Respecting the Property Rights of Others

We will respect the property rights of others and not engage in the unauthorized use of their intellectual property or trade secrets including the copying or downloading of trademarks, copyrighted materials and logos.