The professional code of
ethics policy of TP&F Consultants, Inc. (“TP&F”) aims to give
our employees and contractors guidelines on our business ethics. We trust
TP&F employees and consultants to use their better judgment, but this
policy provides a concrete guide to assist employees and contractors that are
unsure about how to act in a variety of circumstances (e.g. in cases of
conflict of interest). This policy also outlines the consequences of violating
TP&F’s professional code of ethics.
This policy applies to
all TP&F employees and contractors, as well as other business TP&F does
business with. This includes individual people such as employees, interns,
volunteers, and contractors, but also business entities, such as vendors,
enterprise customers or venture capital companies. TP&F can decide not to
work with another entity that does not abide by this code of ethics or have a
similar code of ethics in place.
Note that our code of
ethics is slightly different than our code of conduct. Code of conduct may
include elements such as dress code and social media use, whilst our code of
professional ethics refers to legally or morally charged issues. Still, these
two codes do overlap.
Professional
ethics are a set of principles that guide the behavior of people in a
business context. They are essential to maintaining the legality of business
and a healthy workplace.
The
TP&F code of ethics definition refers to the standards that apply to a
specific setting – in this case, TP&F Consultants, Inc.
Having our business
ethics in writing doesn’t mean that we don’t trust our employees. We strive to
hire ethical people who have their own personal standards, so we expect that a
written code won’t be necessary most of the time.
But, it can still be
helpful. You may find yourself in a situation where you’re not sure how you
should act. Life is full of grey areas where right and wrong aren’t so
apparent. Some professional ethics also correspond to laws that you absolutely
must know to do your job properly, so we will mention them in our code of
ethics.
When an employee
behaves, or intends to behave, in a way that’s against our professional ethics,
or applicable laws, we will have clear guidelines on what disciplinary actions
we will consider.
For these reasons, we
advise you to read this document carefully and consult with your manager or HR,
if you have doubts or questions.
We base our business
code of ethics on common principles of
ethics:
Respect for others. Treat people as you want to be treated.
Integrity and honesty. Tell the truth and avoid any wrongdoing to the best of your
ability.
Justice. Make sure you’re objective and fair and don’t disadvantage others.
Lawfulness. Know and follow the law – always.
Competence and accountability. Work hard and be responsible for your work.
Teamwork. Collaborate and ask for help.
It’s mandatory to
respect everyone you interact with. Be kind, polite and understanding. You must
respect others’ personal space, opinions and privacy. Any kind of violence is strictly prohibited
and will result in immediate termination. You’re also not allowed to harass or
victimize others.
What constitutes
harassment or victimization? To answer this, we have a policy on harassment and a more specific
policy on sexual harassment you can take a look
at.
If someone, be it
customer, colleague or stakeholder, is offensive, demeaning or threatening
toward you or someone you know, report them immediately to HR or your manager.
You can also report rudeness and dismissiveness if they become excessive or
frequent.
First, always keep in
mind TP&F’s mission. We all work together to achieve specific outcomes.
Your behavior should contribute to our goals, whether financial or
organizational.
Be honest and
transparent when you act in ways that impact other people (e.g. taking
strategic decisions or deciding on layoffs). We don’t tolerate malicious,
deceitful or petty conduct. Lies and cheating are not tolerated and you may
face discipline or immediate
termination depending on the conduct.
Stealing from the
company or other people is illegal. You could face repercussions depending on
the severity of your actions, including termination or legal action. For example,
if you steal office supplies, you may receive a reprimand or demotion (at a
minimum), while if you steal money or data (e.g. engaging in fraud or
embezzlement), you will get fired and face legal consequences. The decision is
at HR’s discretion on a case-by-case basis.
Conflict of interest may
occur whenever your interest in a particular subject leads you to actions,
activities or relationships that undermine TP&F. This includes situations
like using your position’s authority for your own personal gain or exploiting
company resources to support a personal money-making business. Even when you
seemingly act to the company’s advantage, you may actually disadvantage it. For
example, if an employee uses dubious methods to get competitor intel and raise
their sales record, their action will have a positive impact on the company’s
revenue, but it will put us at a legal risk and promote unhealthy business
practices.
If you have created a
conflict of interest for yourself, you will be terminated. If the conflict of
interest was involuntary (e.g. buying stocks from a company without knowing
they’re a competitor), we will take actions to rectify the situation, including
termination, at our discretion on a case-by-case basis.
Don’t act in a way that
exploits others, their hard work or their mistakes. Give everyone equal
opportunity and speak up when someone else doesn’t.
Be objective when making
decisions that can impact other people, including when you’re deciding to hire,
promote or fire someone. Be sure that you can justify any decision with written
records or examples. Seek and use the most objective methods in any case; for
example, when interviewing candidates, ask the same interview questions to all
of them and avoid judging non-job-related criteria, like dress, appearance, etc.
When exercising
authority, be fair. Don’t show favoritism toward specific employees and be
transparent when you decide to praise or reward an employee. If you need to
discipline an employee, be sure to have prepared a case that you can present to
HR. You must not retaliate against employees or applicants (such as in cases when they’ve filed complaints) as this is
forbidden by law.
Be just toward customers
or vendors, too. If you think our company was in the wrong in a specific
instance, don’t try to cover it up or accuse the other side. Discuss with your
manager to find solutions that can benefit both sides.
You are obliged to
follow all laws which apply to our organization. Depending on your role and
profession, there might be various laws you need to observe. For example,
accountants and medical professionals have their own legal restrictions and
they must be fully aware of them.
When you’re preparing
contracts, clauses, disclaimers or online copy that may be governed by law
(such as consent forms), please ask verification from our legal counsel before
finalizing anything.
Following laws regarding
fraud, bribery, corruption and any kind of assault is a given. You are also
obliged to follow laws on child labor and avoid doing
business with unlawful organizations.
If you’re not sure what
the law is in a specific instance, don’t hesitate to ask HR or our legal counsel.
We all need to put a
healthy amount of effort in our work. Not just because we’re all responsible
for the organization’s success, but also because slacking off affects our
colleagues. Incomplete or slow working might hinder other people’s work or
cause them to shoulder the burden themselves. This comes in direct conflict
with our respect and integrity principles.
We also expect you to
take up opportunities for learning and development, either on-the-job or via
educational material or training. If you are unsure how you can achieve this,
have an open discussion with your manager.
Working well with others
is a virtue, rather than an obligation. You will certainly get to work autonomously
and be focused on your own projects and responsibilities. But, you should also
be ready to collaborate with and help others.
Be generous with your
expertise and knowledge. Be open to learning and evolving. If days go by
without you consulting or brainstorming with anyone, you are missing out on
opportunities for excellence. Instead, work with others and don’t hesitate to
ask for help when you need it.
TP&F takes violations of this ethics policy seriously. To report a violation of the ethics policy,
please send an email to ethics@tpandfconsultants.com or
contact Tani Long directly on her mobile number or at
tani@tpandfconsultants.com.
