In the course of their employment, staff may be subjected to sensitive data. This sensitive data may relate to our clients, employees, vendors and partners, or it may relate to company information that is considered a trade secret. It is everyone's responsibility to ensure that any such sensitive, secret or private information is afforded due protection. Some examples of such information are:

• Employee's personal or work records
• Financial information that is not public
• Data that belongs to (or relates to) staff, customers, partners and/or vendors
• Company goals, forecasts and initiatives that are not public
• Details of an employee's current assignments
• Business matters relating to marketing, costs, profits, and pricing methods.
• The details or provisions of any private written or oral contract or understandings between (^Company^) and a third party, client, or vendor.
• The details of any statistical data, training manual, financial statements, forms, techniques, methods, policies or procedures not generally known to competitors of (^Company^).
• Procedural, training, or instructional manuals which have been developed by (^Company^) and which are not generally known to the public
• Long-term plans, budgets, acquisition strategies, methods of operations, bid information, and financial performance belonging to (^Company^) and not generally known to the public.
• Computer software and programs, proprietary information, and other data relating to aspects of (^Company^) finances or unique operations which cannot be obtained from sources other than the Company.
• Other confidential information that provides (^Company^) with a substantial competitive advantage in conducting its business that has not, by legitimate means, become generally known and in the public domain. (ie. Trade Secrets)
• Names and addresses and any related information pertaining to (^Company^)’s customers that is not generally known in the public domain.
• Confidential employee information (e.g. medical records) obtained within the course and scope of your employment duties.
• All information protected by federal and/or state trademark law. 

As part of your onboarding, but in accordance with any federal, local or state laws, we may ask you to sign non-compete and non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). 

In addition, we may enact procedures to:

• Restrict access to sensitive, secret or private data.
• Monitor access to sensitive, secret or private data.
• Train staff in online privacy and security measures.
• Maintain secure networks to protect us from cyberattacks or unauthorized access.
• Establish other data protection practices (e.g. locks, encryption, regular backups, access control).

We always expect you to act responsibly when you come in contact with any such information.

In addition, it is your responsibility to:

• Secure confidential information at all times.
• If authorized, shred any confidential documents when they’re no longer needed.
• Make sure you view sensitive information on secure devices with secure connections only.
• Only disclose sensitive information to other staff when it’s necessary and sufficiently authorized.
• Keep any sensitive documents or data within company premises, unless it’s absolutely necessary to move them, and you are authorized to do so.

You must never:

• Use sensitive information in any way for your personal benefit.
• Disclose sensitive information to anyone outside of (^Company^).
• Copy sensitive documents and files in any way that compromises their security.

Data protection is extremely important, both in terms of legality and our company's reputation. Disciplinary procedures will be taken against any employee who breaches our confidentiality guidelines, and those procedures may result in termination.

Note: we may also discipline any unintentional breach of this policy depending on how serious the breach is.