Intellectual Property–Ours and Others’

Because the Company lives on the leading edge of design and technology, the Company’s intellectual property (IP) is one of its greatest assets. The Company’s IP is key to its competitive advantage and supports its mission of creating a higher level of gracious living for those who are touched by its products and services.

The Company protects its IP and other confidential information and expects its business partners to do the same. Your obligation to protect IP remains even after employment at the Company ends. You protect the Company’s IP by using confidential information only as needed for your role and never disclosing it outside of the Company. You must not take or retain the Company’s IP or confidential materials at any time—including when leaving the Company. You must also follow all internal procedures and guidelines when developing new products, features, aesthetics, or functionality to ensure the Company’s innovations are properly safeguarded and compliant.

Likewise, the Company respects the intellectual property rights of individuals and third parties outside of the Company. Never seek to obtain and/or use the confidential information or IP that does not belong to the Company.

Think about it.

What is considered intellectual property? Intellectual property includes trademarks, copyrights, patents, and trade secrets (also known as confidential information or “know how”). This can include designs, formulas, pricing, identification of clients/customers, ingredient formulas or recipes, suppliers, and strategic business plans.