CONFIDENTIALITY
Information about the Group, which
is not publicly available, must be handled with discretion
and must not be given to others unless they are employees
who need to know it in order to do their job or are third
parties who the Group Board of Directors have authorised
to receive it. Except for our professional advisers, confidential
information should normally only be disclosed where an
agreement is in place under which the recipient agrees
to preserve the confidentiality of the information.
Confidential information may only
ever be disclosed or used where this is believed to be
for the benefit of the Group. Among other things, any
unauthorised disclosure could place the Group at an actual
or potential commercial disadvantage, may result in the
summary dismissal or other disciplining of the individual
concerned and could constitute a serious breach of the
criminal law.
In order to safeguard the Group
from legal risk, no confidential information should be
obtained from a third party without an appropriate written
agreement with the information provider. Information concerning
competitors will be accepted only where there is reasonable
belief that both receipt and use of the information is
lawful.
No offer of employment shall
be made to any person in the expectation of obtaining
that person’s specific knowledge of a former employer’s
confidential information, nor shall any new employee be
placed in a position that would lead them to disclose
or make improper use of a former employer’s confidential
information.
If it is brought to the company’s attention that any employee is using any social networking site which results bringing the company’s name and reputation into disrepute, the company reserves the right to rely on such evidence as part of any disciplinary procedures. Please refer to the dedicated Social Media & Online Activities policy page for further details.