Policy Overview
Ideal supports the appropriate use of social media for business purposes. Social media can help Ideal workers to collaborate, share information, and support dynamic discussions with the public. It can provide opportunities to enhance outreach and inclusion, engage clients and prospects, communities and groups that may not otherwise participate in Ideal initiatives.
Using Social Media at Ideal
At Ideal, we recognize that social media can be a fun and rewarding way to share your life and opinions with family, friends, and co-workers around the world. However, use of social media also presents certain risks and carries with it certain responsibilities. Ideal strives to maintain a positive image and wants to ensure that workers are aware of their shared responsibility to this end. The nature of the Ideal's business is such that its proper functioning and success requires the confidence and trust of its clients, business partners, overseeing bodies, and the public generally.
To assist you in making responsible decisions about your use of social media, Ideal has developed the following guidelines to help Ideal workers to use social media appropriately and effectively in their work.
Social media can mean many things and includes all means of communicating or posting information or content of any sort on the Internet, including to your own or someone else’s web log or blog, journal or diary, personal web site, social networking or affinity web site, web bulletin board or a chat room, whether or not associated or affiliated with Ideal, as well as any other form of electronic communication. The absence of or lack of explicit reference to a specific social media site or technology does not limit the extent of the application of this policy.
Be Clear and Purposeful in Your Communication
The lines between public and private, personal, and professional are blurred in online social networks. While Ideal does not intend to intrude on workers' personal lives or to infringe on your freedom of expression, workers must recognize that you may be perceived by others as representatives of Ideal both during and outside of work hours.
Remember to always use good judgment and common sense in deciding what you publish. Any social media communications by workers could have a direct bearing on Ideal's interests, including its reputation. Before creating online content, consider some of the risks and rewards that are involved.
Keep in mind that any conduct that adversely affects your job performance, the performance of fellow workers or otherwise adversely affects clients, suppliers, people who work on behalf of Ideal or Ideal’s legitimate business interests may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination. If you're unsure, and it is related to Ideal’s business, it is recommended that you discuss it with your supervisor. Ultimately, you have sole responsibility for what you post to any form of online social media.
Be Respectful and Courteous
Be respectful and courteous to everyone, including a client or any member of the public, while acting in the course of Ideal’s business. Also, keep in mind that you are more likely to resolve work- related complaints by speaking directly with your co-workers or by using our Open Door Policy than by posting complaints to a social media outlet.
When posting as an Ideal worker, avoid using statements, photographs, video, or audio that reasonably could be viewed as malicious, obscene, threatening or intimidating, which disparage anyone, or that might constitute harassment or bullying. Examples of such conduct might include offensive posts meant to intentionally harm someone’s reputation or posts that could contribute to a hostile work environment on the basis of race, sex, disability, religion, or any other status protected by law or company policy. Nothing in this policy is intended to impede your rights under the National Labor Relations Act.
Be Honest and Accurate
Make sure you are always honest and accurate when posting information or news, and if you make a mistake, correct it quickly. Be open about any previous posts you have altered. Remember that the Internet archives almost everything; therefore, even deleted postings can be searched. Never post any information or rumors that you know to be false about Ideal, fellow workers, clients, suppliers, people working on behalf of Ideal or competitors.
Post Only Appropriate Content
Carefully read these guidelines, and other policies such as our Code of Conduct and Discrimination and Harassment Policy, and ensure your postings are consistent with these policies. Be thoughtful in all your communications and dealings with others, including email and social media. Harassing comments, obscenities or similar conduct that would violate Ideal’s policies is discouraged in general and is never allowed while using Ideal’s equipment or during your working time. Always follow these guidelines:
- Maintain the confidentiality of Ideal trade secrets and other private or confidential information obtained in the course of work. Trades secrets may include information regarding the development of systems, processes, products, know-how and technology. Do not post internal reports, policies, procedures, or other internal business-related confidential communications.
- Do not disclose confidential information about Ideal's business partners vendors, and/or clients. Examples of confidential information include financial data, or other non-public proprietary information. Respect public disclosure laws. It is illegal to communicate or give a “tip” on insider information to others so that they may buy or sell stocks or securities. For example, do not post company financial information, product launch or release dates, acquisitions or dispositions, and pending reorganizations. Please refer to our Insider Trading and Tipping Policy for more information on trading in our stock and “tipping” information.
- Do not make negative comments about our workers, clients, business partners, vendors, or other stakeholders in any social media.
- Respect copyright, trademark and similar laws and use such protected information in compliance with applicable legal standards.
- Do not post content that contains information about other workers which, in the view of a reasonable person, the worker would expect to be private. This applies whether other workers are identified by name or by other identifying characteristics;
- Do not post workplace gossip;
- Express only your personal opinions. Never represent yourself as a spokesperson for Ideal. If Ideal is a subject of the content you are creating, be clear and open about the fact that you are a worker and make it clear that your views do not represent those of Ideal, fellow workers, clients, suppliers, or people working on behalf of Ideal. It is best to include a disclaimer such as “The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ideal.”
- Do not create a blog or online group related to Ideal (not including blogs or discussions involving wages, benefits, or other terms and conditions of employment, or protected concerted activity) without the advance approval of the Legal and Communications Departments. If a blog or online group is approved, it must contain a disclaimer approved by the Legal Department.
- Do not use Ideal’s (or any of its affiliated entities) logos, marks or other protected information or property for any business/commercial venture without the Communications Director’s express written authorization.
- Do not make knowingly false representations about your credentials or your work.
- Do not comment on or speculate about things like Ideal's future business performance (including upcoming quarters or future periods), Ideal's business plans, unannounced strategies, or prospects (including information about partnerships), potential acquisitions or divestitures, similar matters involving Ideal's competitors. This applies to anyone including conversations with financial analysts, the press or other third parties (including friends).
- Do not cite or reference clients, partners, or suppliers on business-related matters without their approval. When you do make a reference, link back to the source, and do not publish content that might allow inferences to be drawn which could damage a client relationship with Ideal.
- Do not make a communication that is racist, sexually explicit, pornographic or with content which is otherwise inappropriate or could harm Ideal’s reputation. Refrain from using ethnic slurs, discriminatory remarks, personal insults, obscenity, or uttering potentially libelous statements; do not engage in any similar conduct that would not be appropriate or acceptable in Ideal’s workplace.
- Do not make a communication in a manner that constitutes actual or reasonably perceived harassment of or discrimination against other workers, Ideal's business partners, its clients, or any other third party.
Using Social Media at Work
Do not use social media while on work time or on equipment Ideal or Idea’s clients provide unless it is work-related as authorized by your on-site shift client supervisor and then only consistent with instructions received by your on-site shift client supervisor and in accordance with this policy.
Contacts by the Press/Media
Events may occur related to Ideal that will draw immediate attention from the news media. It is imperative that the Company deliver an appropriate, cohesive message and to avoid giving misinformation in any media inquiry; therefore, we ask that if you are asked to comment on behalf of Ideal, you refer such inquiries to those responsible for representing Ideal to the public. Good reporters will identify themselves prior to asking questions. If a reporter asks you a question, respond like this: “I am not authorized to comment for Ideal (or I don't have the information you want). Let me have our Communications Director contact you.”
Privacy
When posting material to social media sites, workers should have no expectation of privacy. It is important to be aware that since posted materials are owned by the site to which they are posted, they can be redistributed at any time to others without the author's permission. Communication in social media sites or accounts should always be considered public and permanent.
Workers should check each site's privacy and security policies carefully before adding content they may not wish to have viewed by others.
Ideal reserves the right to monitor public social media communication of workers. The term "public" used in these guidelines will be interpreted by reference to, among other things, the number of individuals who are able to access the communication and the identity of the individuals who are able to access the communication. There shall be a presumption that such communication is public.
Disciplinary Action
Workers who violate these guidelines may be subject to disciplinary measures, up to and including dismissal or termination of their employment.