Code of Conduct
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CODE OF BUSINESS CONDUCT AND ETHICS
Introduction This Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (referred to hereinafter as the "Code") sets forth the policies of Fiberstars, Inc. (the "Company") with respect to the way we conduct ourselves individually and operate our business. The provisions of this Code are designed to promote honest and ethical behavior among our employees, officers and directors. In the course of performing our various roles in the Company, each of us will encounter ethical questions in different forms and under a variety of circumstances. Moments of ethical uncertainty may arise in our dealings with fellow employees of the Company, with customers, or with other parties such as government entities or members of our community. In achieving the high ground of ethical behavior, compliance with governmental laws is not enough. Our employees should never be content with simply obeying the letter of the law, but must also strive to comport themselves in an honest and ethical manner. This Code provides clear rules to assist our employees, directors and officers in taking the proper actions when faced with an ethical dilemma. For guidance with respect to issues not addressed in this Code, employees are directed to our Employee Handbook which set forth the Company's policies on a wide range of issues that arise in the course of employment. In addition, employees should consult the Company's compliance manuals which address a variety of areas relevant to our business activities. The reputation of the Company is our greatest asset and its value relies on the character of its employees. In order to protect this asset, the Company will not tolerate unethical behavior by employees, officers or directors. Those who violate the standards in this Code will be subject to disciplinary action. If you are concerned about taking an action that may violate the Code or are aware of a violation by another employee, an officer or a director, follow the guidelines set forth in Sections 10 and 11 of this Code. This Code applies equally to all employees, officers and directors of the Company. All references to employees contained in this Code should be understood as referring to officers and directors as well. 1. Compliance with Laws, Rules and Regulations Company policy requires that the Company, as well as all employees, officers and directors of the Company, comply fully with both the spirit and the letter of all laws, rules and regulations. Whenever an applicable law, rule or regulation is unclear or seems to conflict with either another law or any provision of this Code, all employees, officers and directors are urged to seek clarification from their supervisor, the appropriate compliance official or the Company's Chief Financial Officer. Beyond mere compliance with the law, we should always conduct our business with the highest standards of honesty and integrity - wherever we operate. In the final analysis, we should operate our business in such a way that we would be proud to have all the facts disclosed. 2. Conflicts of Interest Every employee has a primary business responsibility to the Company and must avoid conflicts of interest. A conflict of interest arises when an employee takes actions or enters into relationships that oppose the interests of the Company, harm the Company's reputation or interfere with the employee's performance or independent judgment when carrying out any actions on behalf of the Company. The Company strictly prohibits its employees from taking any action or entering into any relationship that creates, or even appears to create, a conflict of interest. For purposes of determining whether a conflict exists, the actions of an employee's immediate family members are treated as those of the employee and are therefore subject to the same considerations. In order to avoid a potential conflict of interest, an employee may not receive any payments, compensation, or gifts, other than gifts of nominal value, from any entity that does business or seeks to do business with the Company. Employees must be sensitive to other potential conflicts of interest that may arise and use their best efforts to avoid the conflict. Any employee, officer or director who is aware of a transaction or relationship that could reasonably be expected to give rise to a conflict of interest in violation of this section must inform the appropriate personnel in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 11 of this Code. If an employee has any questions regarding the Company's policy on conflicts of interest or needs assistance in avoiding a potential conflict of interest, he or she is urged to seek the advice of a supervisor or the Chief Financial Officer. 3. Corporate Opportunities Employees, officers and directors are prohibited from taking for themselves personally opportunities that are discovered through the use of corporate property, information or their position in the Company. Furthermore, employees may not use corporate property, information or influence or their position in the Company for improper personal gain. Finally, employees have a duty to advance the Company's legitimate interests when the opportunity to do so arises. Consequently, employees are not permitted to compete with the Company. 4. Insider Trading Employees, officers and directors will frequently become aware of confidential non-public information concerning the Company and the parties with which the Company does business. The Company prohibits employees from using such confidential information for personal financial gain, such as for purposes of stock trading, or for any other purpose other than the conduct of our business. Employees must maintain the confidentiality of such information and may not make disclosures to third parties, including members of the employee's family. All non-public information about the Company should be treated as confidential information. To use non-public information for personal financial benefit or to "tip" others who may make stock trades on the basis of this information is not only unethical but also illegal. In addition to possible legal sanctions, any employee, officer or director found to be in violation of the Company's insider trading policy will face decisive disciplinary action. Employees are encouraged to contact the Company's Chief Financial Officer with any questions concerning this policy. 5. Confidentiality Employees must maintain the confidentiality of confidential information entrusted to them by the Company or its customers or suppliers, except when disclosure is authorized by the Company or required by law. Confidential information includes proprietary information of the Company, as well as all non-public information that might be of use to competitors, or harmful to the Company or its customers, if disclosed. 6. Protection and Proper Use of Company Assets All Company assets should be used for legitimate business purposes and all employees, officers and directors must make all reasonable efforts to protect the Company's assets and ensure their efficient use. Theft, carelessness, and waste have a direct impact on the Company's profitability and must therefore be avoided. The suspected occurrence of fraud or theft should be immediately reported to the appropriate person in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 11 of this Code. An employee's obligation to protect the Company's assets extends to the Company's proprietary information. Proprietary information includes intellectual property such as patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. An employee who uses or distributes such proprietary information without the Company's authorization will be subject to disciplinary measures as well as potential legal sanctions. 7. Fair Dealing Although the success of our Company depends on our ability to outperform our competitors, the Company is committed to achieving success by fair and ethical means. We seek to maintain a reputation for fair dealing among our competitors and the public alike. In light of this aim, the Company prohibits employees from engaging in any unethical or illegal business practices. An exhaustive list of unethical practices cannot be provided. Instead, the Company relies on the judgment of each individual employee to avoid such practices. Furthermore, each employee should endeavor to deal fairly with the Company's customers, suppliers, competitors and employees. No employee should take unfair advantage of anyone through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation of material facts, or any other unfair business practice. 8. Books and Records and Accounting Controls The Company takes pride in the open honesty of its accounting system and relies on the cooperation of all employees who are involved in keeping financial records of any type in maintaining the integrity of the system. Company policy requires that all books and records be maintained accurately and that no fund, asset, liability, revenue or expense be concealed or incompletely recorded for any purpose. Furthermore, all entries must be supported by documentation adequate to permit the books and records to be verified by audit. The Company's internal auditing mechanism is essential to ensuring the accurate reporting of the Company's financial information. The Audit Committee has the responsibility to review the Company's policies and practice with respect to financial reporting. By conducting this review, the Audit Committee helps the Company identify deficiencies in its practices so that they can be promptly corrected. Auditors shall have unrestricted access to all Company documents and records. All employees are required to cooperate fully with internal and external audits. In no case may an employee make a false or misleading statement to any internal or external auditor, withhold records, or otherwise interfere with an audit. An employee who has knowledge of any unreported or improperly reported financial activity must report such information to a supervisor, the Chief Financial Officer or the Audit Committee. Please consult Section 10 of this Code regarding an employee's right to report questionable accounting or auditing practices to the Audit Committee. 9. Waivers The Company expects all employees, officers and directors to comply with the provisions of this Code. Any waiver of this Code for executive officers or directors may be made only by the Board of Directors or a Board committee and will be promptly disclosed to the public as required by law and the listing standards of Nasdaq. When necessary, a waiver will be accompanied by appropriate controls designed to protect the Company. 10. Compliance Guidelines and Resources In some situations, our employees may not be certain how to proceed in compliance with this Code. This uncertainty may concern the ethical nature of the employee's own acts or the employee's duty to report the unethical acts of another. When faced with this uncertainty, the employee should carefully analyze the situation and make use of company resources when determining the proper course of action. The Company also encourages employees to talk to their supervisors, or other personnel identified below, when in doubt about the best course of action.
11. Reporting Procedures
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General Information
Energy Focus, Inc. headquarters are located at 32000 Aurora Road, Solon, Ohio, 44139, with subsidiary offices in California, England and Germany. For additional information, please call 440-715-1300.
