Apple 2011 Annual Report Download - page 94

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Responsibilities to Apple
Business Conduct
The way we do business worldwide
July 2011
9
What are assets?
Assets include Apple’s extremely valuable
proprietary information (such as intellectual
property, confidential business plans,
unannounced product plans, sales and
marketing strategies, and other trade secrets);
as well as physical assets like cash,
equipment, supplies, and product inventory.
Where can I learn more about information
protection and nondisclosure agreements?
View the Apple policy on Confidential,
Proprietary, and Trade Secret Information.
Protecting Apple
’
s Assets and Information
As an Apple employee you must protect Apple
’s property and abide by the following
guidelines:
• Follow all security procedures and be on the lookout for any instances you believe could
lead to loss, misuse, or theft of company property.
• Protect physical assets such as equipment, supplies, cash, and charge cards.
• Use extreme care to protect Apple’s proprietary information from improper disclosure to
third parties. This information includes technical product information, information related to
current and future products and services, confidential market research, sales and
marketing plans, nonpublic earnings or financial data, and organizational charts and
information.
• Follow procurement policies and procedures when acquiring goods or services on behalf
of Apple, avoiding any real or apparent conflict of interest. For more information on
procurement policies and procedures, talk to your manager or visit Apple Procurement.
• Use Apple’s assets in a manner that prevents damage, waste, misuse, or theft. Use
assets only for legal and ethical purposes.
• Dispose of assets only with appropriate approval and in compliance with applicable
policies. Before disposing of assets, discuss your plans with your manager.
If I believe that it is appropriate to disclose
confidential proprietary information to a
vendor or other third party, what should I
do?
Confidential Apple Information
One of Apple’s greatest assets is information about our products and services, including
future product offerings. Never disclose confidential operational, financial, trade secret, or
other business information without verifying with your manager that such disclosure is
appropriate. Typically, disclosure of this information is very limited, and the information may
be shared with vendors, suppliers, or other third parties only after a nondisclosure agreement
is in place. Even within Apple, confidential information should be shared only on a need-to-
know basis. The Intellectual Property Agreement you signed when you joined Apple defines
your duty to protect information.
First, verify that there is a business need for
the disclosure. Second, obtain your manager’
s
approval for the disclosure. Third, be sure that
a nondisclosure agreement is in place with the
vendor or third party, and that you forward the
original copy of the agreement to the Legal
Department. If you are still unsure, check with
the Legal Department before making the
disclosure.
How do I identify confidential Apple
information in documents?
Mark these documents “Apple Confidential.”
What if I have a specific question on the
use of the Apple name, names of products
or services, or the Apple logo?
Please direct questions about the Apple
corporate identity to corpID@apple.com.
How can I find out more about patents?
Visit Apple
’s Patent Information site.
The Apple Identity and Trademarks
The Apple name, names of products (such as iPhone), names of services (such as
AppleCare), tag lines (such as
“Don’t steal music”), and logos (such as the familiar Apple
logo) collectively create the Apple identity. Before publicly using the Apple name, product
names, service names, tag lines, or the Apple logo, review Apple’s corporate identity
guidelines on how names and logos can be used and presented (for example, the size of the
Apple logo and the amount of white space surrounding the logo). Before using the product
names, service names, tag lines, or logos of third parties, check with the Legal Department.
Apple Inventions, Patents, and Copyrights
Apple
’s practice is to consider for patenting the inventions of its employees, regardless of
whether the inventions are implemented in actual products. If you are involved in product
development, you should contact the Legal Department regarding the patentability of your
work. Be alert to possible infringement of Apple
’s patents and bring any possible
infringements directly to the Legal Department.
If you create original material for Apple that requires copyright protection, such as software,
place Apple’s copyright notice on the work and submit a copyright disclosure form to the
Legal Department. For more information, visit the Apple Copyright Information site.