All employees should endeavor to protect the Company’s assets and ensure their efficient use. Theft, carelessness, and waste have a direct impact on the Company’s profitability. Any suspected incident of fraud or theft should be immediately reported for investigation. Company equipment should not be used for non-Company business, though incidental personal use may be permitted.

The obligation of employees to protect the Company’s assets includes its Proprietary Information. Proprietary Information includes, but is not limited to, intellectual property such as trade secrets, patents, trademarks, and copyrights, as well as business, marketing and service plans, research and development operations, ongoing testing and any preliminary results and/or unpublished results, engineering, geological, manufacturing ideas, designs, databases, records, salary information and any unpublished financial data and reports. Unauthorized use or distribution of this information would violate Company policy. It could also be illegal and result in civil or even criminal penalties.