We are committed to providing a workplace free of harassment that values employees and respects their rights. Our code of business ethics and conduct (.pdf document), along with our equal employment opportunity policy, set consistent global standards for providing equal opportunities and fair treatment in recruiting, compensation, professional development and advancement. Regional policies determine how these standards are implemented in compliance with local law.

We provide training programs to help employees and supervisors understand workplace policies and handle sensitive situations. We also have online training courses to educate employees on our equal employment opportunity and anti-harassment policies. These issues also are covered in our Supervisor’s Toolkit, a training program for supervisors.

All employees have access to the company’s ethics hotline, through which they may anonymously share information, raise questions or lodge complaints regarding any violation of policy.  We maintain an open-door policy for resolving workplace issues, which outlines the steps employees can take to involve their supervisors, and as needed, human resources personnel and company management. If an employee prefers not to discuss an issue with a supervisor, they are encouraged to talk with a human resources representative or another manager.

We prefer to deal directly with our employees regarding their needs and the needs of the business. However, where a labor organization has been certified as the representative of a group of employees, we strive to build a relationship based on mutual integrity, respect and open communication.

We investigate and track allegations of discrimination and harassment, including internal complaints, ethics hotline complaints and formal charges and complaints filed with outside agencies.

Metrics from our 2008 employee opinion survey indicate that a large percentage of employees find their supervisors to be highly accessible and that they feel free to report any ethics violations without fear of retaliation. We believe that these attributes are essential to building a positive work environment.