Every member of Sigma Forge is expected to behave and act to a high standard of decency, integrity and professionalism. This code of conduct applies to all employees, directors, officers, board members, advisors, and part time or temporary staff.
As members of Sigma Forge, we wish to make a positive contribution to our society and environment beyond our work. With this in mind, we agree to abide to this code of conduct at all times. We agree that any breach of this code, both in spirit and in letter, outside of business hours, or during unrelated activities, should be considered in the same way as any breaches during normal business hours.
We believe that this document should be more than just a set of standards we hold ourselves to, and is a relevant guide and compass for our actions.
- Always care about the human
- Be radically honest and open
- Strive to excel in our craft and as people
- Respect all people in all our dealings
- Positively contribute to the future for all
We wish Sigma Forge to have a lasting, sustainable and positive contribution to our society.
We agree to behave always with integrity and honesty and respect with all people and in all our dealings, both while working as a member of Sigma Forge and otherwise.
We care about and value each other, our customers, partners, suppliers and the public. Our actions reflect our compassion.
We are proud to work for this organisation and to call all its members our peers. Our actions should always ensure that we can continue to be proud of our work and our peers in the future.
In this first section, we describe a base standard of decency and conduct that is to be followed at all times. We agree that by breaching any of these standards, we act in a way that prevents us from being members of Sigma Forge, and that we may be dismissed or pursued legally due to our actions.
We agree to respect and follow the law of the countries we operate in. We take respect for the law seriously and accept that criminal or illegal activity of any kind is grounds for immediate dismissal from Sigma Forge.
Willfull deception of any kind, either through outright lying, omission or not volunteering relevant information at our disposal is a poison for any organisation. We will not tolerate it in ourselves or in our peers.
We agree to use company resources in the following three ways:
- To further the values and objectives of Sigma Forge
- To contribute to our community in a positive and sustainable way
- To grow ourselves to better be able to fulfil the previous two objectives
Using company resources for another reason is against the spirit of this code of conduct.
Anything done or stored with Sigma Forge's electronic facilities by an employee should be considered potentially public information, and written or created with this in mind.
Conflicts of interests occur when the best interests of ourselves, our friends, our family, our customers, Sigma Forge or the public compete with each other.
We avoid conflicts of interest and circumstances that present the appearance of a conflict of interest.
When faced with a potential conflict of interest, we ask ourselves:
- Would this situation create an incentive, or the appearance of one, for us to act to the detriment of Sigma Forge, our customers or the public?
- Could this activity harm our reputation for honesty and integrity, hinder our ability to make a positive contribution or potentially harm Sigma Forge?
- Would this situation embarrass us or Sigma Forge if revealed on a public media, such as Twitter or a newspaper?
If any of the above can be answered with 'yes', then a situation is likely a conflict of interest.
It is sometimes difficult to determine if a conflict of interest exists. In case of doubt, the director can be contacted directly for advice at [email protected].
If we are aware of an actual or potential conflict of interest, they should be reported directly to the company director or our ethics advisor at [email protected].
We respect our customers, partners and competitors. We do not think or speak ill of them.
We value our competition as our greatest ally and truest friends in our quest to better ourselves and make a positive contribution.
We know that acting in our customer's best interest is the best choice for Sigma Forge, even if it means leading our customers away from our products to offerings better suited to their needs.
We assume good intentions unless proven otherwise. When choosing our actions during conflict or doubt, we err on the side of the customer or the most disadvantaged party.
When dealing with our customers and partners, we commit to listening to them and to excercise our empathy and compassion. We sublimate our ego when it is most difficult to do so, to remain professional and courteous in order to find positive outcomes for all.
We understand that being professional does not mean having to forego the personal. We encourage friendly informal communication.
While our commitment to radical openness and honesty means that we should disclose as much as possible about the activities of Sigma Forge, we may come to know personal or confidential information about individuals (including peers at Sigma Forge) or other companies.
We will treat this information with respect and not abuse the trust that has been given to us. This means that we will take every possible measures to ensure that the information remains private and secure, and use it responsibly and with the permission of the person or company the information is about.
We are dedicated to providing a harassment-free work environment for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, or religion. We do not tolerate harassment of staff in any form.
Harassment includes offensive verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.
Be kind to others. Do not insult or put down other members of staff or the wider community. Behave professionally. Remember that harassment and sexist, racist, or exclusionary jokes can be offensive to those around you and are not appropriate in the workplace.
We encourage an open, friendly and positive work environment with a strong team spirit where employees feel motivated and happy.
We have a duty to care about our work and its effect on the world.
We are all personally responsible for the products that are created by Sigma Forge. Every one of us has a duty to ensure that all of our products and our customers' experience are of the highest quality, and that what we create has a positive impact on the world.
Every member of Sigma Forge has the authority to stop any product from reaching the customer, or to intervene in the customer experience, if either do not meet the highest standard of quality.
We believe that the phrase “it’s someone else’s problem” is toxic to our organisation. We are all personally responsible for the success of this company and for its impact on the world.
Our duty to care extends beyond our work and to the people we interact with as part of our business and our lives. We create a welcoming and safe environment for our peers and our customers and are compelled to act if and when we notice that we are not meeting these expectations.
We understand that our actions represent our peers at all time, and act accordingly. When in the community, we are good citizens and respect our surroundings and environment to create goodwill on behalf of our peers.
We are never afraid to offer a helping hand and embrace getting our hands dirty. We know that no work worth doing is demeaning and that all work is a way of contributing to our surroundings. We know that the manner in which we act and the quality of our work is a reflection of ourselves and of our values.
We are all representatives of Sigma Forge and, as such, we may use our judgement to make direct statements to the public on behalf of the company. We understand that this is a precious responsibility not to be taken lightly, and that all communication on behalf of Sigma Forge should follow the letter and the intent of this code of conduct. There is no corporate communication office. We are all responsible for aligning what we say to the public with our peers and in our actions, and for getting advice from our peers in case of doubt or uncertainty.
We nurture each other and help each other grow. We hold ourselves and each other accountable to this code of conduct and have a duty to report any breaches. Breaches can be reported directly to the director of the company at [email protected].
If the director falls short of this code of conduct, or for any other reason a report cannot be made to them directly, breaches can be reported instead to our company ethical advisor at [email protected].
We take our commitment to ethical conduct seriously and we investigate and act upon all reported breaches of this code of conduct.
We will not retaliate in any way against anyone who reports a breach of this code of conduct. We are thankful that they care and value the growth that their action enables.