Ethics at Work

Staples Global Code of Conduct embodies our commitment to high ethical standards. It explains core expectations regarding ethical conduct and business practices and includes guidelines to help associates deal appropriately with a broad range of issues like:

• Insider trading and customer privacy
• Discrimination and harassment
• How to ask questions and voice concerns about ethics issues
• Processes for reporting and handling violations

Our Global Code of Conduct is relevant and user-friendly and is written to be easily understood with translations available in the 17 major languages our associates speak worldwide.

Download the Staples Global Code of Conduct here.

How we engage associates on ethical issues

Successful ethics programs require a company-wide commitment to conducting business with integrity. Staples encourages all associates to take an active role in understanding, discussing and exploring ethics issues. We do so with ethics and compliance training, internal awareness campaigns, employee Web sites, an Ethics Help Line, and regular communications from corporate leaders.

To ensure proactive participation, we feel it’s critical to help associates feel comfortable speaking up and asking questions whenever they confront ethics issues. Our CEO Shira Goodman, emphasizes the Staples’ commitment to open and honest communication in her letter to all associates:

“As a company, we must foster an environment where issues and concerns can be raised freely, no matter how small. And the Code of Conduct is designed to help you make the right decisions when it comes to a variety of situations: how to handle a situation when the easy way out is wrong. Or speaking up, even when it's uncomfortable, to help protect Staples' best interest and our global brand.”