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.