of Ethics Online Collection: New Version
BUSINESS
ETHICS
(From A Code of Worldwide Business Conduct, Caterpillar
Tractor Co.)
The law is a floor. Ethical business conduct should normally exist at a level well above the minimum required by law.
One of a company's most valuable assets is a reputation for integrity. If that be tarnished, customers, investors and desirable employees will seek affiliation with other, more attractive companies. We intend to hold to a single standard of integrity everywhere. We will keep our word. We will not promise more than we can reasonably hope to deliver; nor will we make commitments we do not intend to keep.
In our advertising and other public communications, we will avoid not only untruths, but also exaggeration, overstatement and boastfulness.
Caterpillar employees shall not accept costly entertainment or gifts (excepting mementos and novelties of nominal value) from dealers, suppliers, and others with whom we do business. And we will not tolerate circumstances that produce, or reasonably appear to produce, conflict between the personal interests of an employee and the interests of the Company.
We seek long lasting relationships -based on integrity-with employees, dealers, suppliers and all whose activities touch upon our own.
