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Code of Business Ethics Foreword Intracoastal Transportation, Inc's success benefits not only the organization—employees, investors, owners, and partners—but also society in general by providing the tools to accomplish business goals. However, Intracoastal Transportation, Inc can only be successful in the long term if our employees adhere to the highest standards of business conduct. Therefore, our commitment and vision necessarily include adherence to high ethical standards, in addition to basic compliance with the law. The Intracoastal Transportation, Inc Board of Directors has adopted this Code of Business Ethics (the “Code”) to inform all employees of their legal and ethical obligations to the Company. All employees, agents, consultants, contractors, and representatives are expected to comply with the Code to promote Intracoastal Transportation, Inc's corporate objectives. In today's complex world it is impossible to enumerate all situations
that can arise involving legal or ethical considerations. Therefore, the
Code describes only certain limited aspects of acceptable and unacceptable
employee and corporate behavior. To demonstrate our commitment to this standard, Intracoastal Transportation, Inc requires that you read this Code and complete the report at the end of this document. Thank you for your support in maintaining our role as a leader in the marine marketplace and in making Intracoastal Transportation, Inc the leader in ethical and legal behavior. Accurate Books and Records All reporting of information (for example, expense reports, invoice transmittals, inventory summaries) should be accurate, honest, timely, and a fair representation of the facts.
Routine business decisions involving prices, terms and conditions of sale, dealings with suppliers and customers, and many other matters present problems of great sensitivity under antitrust laws. The penalties for violating antitrust laws can be severe, making the stakes high. It is therefore essential that Intracoastal Transportation, Inc employees be aware of the antitrust laws and guard against their violation. Intracoastal Transportation, Inc employees should not Employees who have direct contact with Intracoastal Transportation, Inc customers and competitors, such as Sales and Marketing employees, should also familiarize themselves with Intracoastal Transportation, Inc’s Antitrust Compliance Guidelines Business Use of Data and Software Intracoastal Transportation, Inc reserves the right to audit, access,
and disclose all information and data (including electronic mail messages),
stored on or in any Intracoastal Transportation, Inc equipment or furniture,
for any purpose. For purposes of this policy, “incidental personal use” includes, by way of example, typing a personal letter, making a local telephone call to a friend or family member, sending a personal email message, accessing the web, etc.; it does not include using Intracoastal Transportation, Inc equipment to operate a side business. In any event, the primary use of Intracoastal Transportation, Inc equipment must be for Intracoastal Transportation, Inc business purposes, and incidental personal use must be legal, ethical, and appropriate and must not interfere with the conscientious performance of an employee’s Intracoastal Transportation, Inc duties. Confidential Information Employees may not use confidential business information to advance their personal interest through investment activities or in any other way. This prohibition extends to the disclosure of such information to outsiders or to other employees whose duties do not require them to have the information. It also extends to the disclosure of such information to press representatives, financial analysts, or anyone who may stand to profit by such information. Conflict of Interest Employees have a duty to avoid financial, business, or other relationships that might be opposed to the interests of Intracoastal Transportation, Inc or that might interfere with the proper performance of their duties, responsibilities, or loyalty to the Company. Employees should conduct themselves in a manner that avoids even the
appearance of conflict between their personal interests and those of Intracoastal
Transportation, Inc. An employee may not use a friend, family member, or other entity to circumvent this conflict of interest policy. Employees have an ongoing duty to disclose situations that might constitute the appearance of or an actual conflict of interest. Corporate Disclosure All such disclosures are made through specifically established channels approved by Intracoastal Transportation, Inc. Specific officers of Intracoastal Transportation, Inc have been authorized to discuss Intracoastal Transportation, Inc’s affairs with securities analysts, media representatives, government officials, and other outsiders. No one else is authorized to discuss Intracoastal Transportation, Inc affairs with such persons without prior approval. Discrimination and Equal Employment Employees can contact a member of the Human Resources Department for details regarding Intracoastal Transportation, Inc's employment policies. Drug-Free Workplace Any employee convicted of a drug violation must notify Human Resources within five days of the conviction. Intracoastal Transportation, Inc will periodically distribute information concerning drug education programs and other drug awareness materials. Export Controls No employee or other person acting on behalf of Intracoastal Transportation,
Inc or its worldwide subsidiaries may ship, mail, hand-carry, download,
or in any other way export any Intracoastal Transportation, Inc product,
service, or technology from the U.S. or host countries in which Intracoastal
Transportation, Inc does business, unless Gifts and Entertainment Intracoastal Transportation, Inc does not prohibit the receipt of gifts
and entertainment Employees are expected to use good judgment and to accept
gifts or entertainment only if all of the following apply: Questions regarding the appropriateness of accepting a gift or offer of entertainment should be addressed to the Ethics Officer. Political Contributions When making such a suggestion, Intracoastal Transportation, Inc will
stipulate that this amount is only a suggestion; Intracoastal Transportation,
Inc will not specify a minimum contribution, and Intracoastal Transportation,
Inc will make it clear that the amount given, or the refusal to give,
will not benefit or disadvantage the employee being solicited. But, when a verbal or written dialogue occurs between Intracoastal Transportation, Inc executives and other executives or administrative personnel or stockholders about why financial support for a particular candidate is important to the Company, Intracoastal Transportation, Inc can quickly leave the “safe harbor” and become involved in the illegal use of corporate facilities to facilitate contributions to federal candidates. For example, nothing prohibits Intracoastal Transportation, Inc from discussing the reasons why it thinks a particular federal officeholder is right on the issues of concern to the Company, but questions about how much to give to that federal officeholder, why an executive should attend a fundraiser, or how to get other executives involved in attending or giving should be strictly prohibited. Intracoastal Transportation, Inc will not keep a record of which employees give donations to political candidates or the amount of those donations, nor do employees have to report such contributions. However, political candidates, are required to report the sources and amounts of the contributions they receive if in excess of $200 in a calendar year. Intracoastal Transportation, Inc is permitted under federal election law to use corporate resources (e.g., email, letterhead, photocopying, secretarial assistance, legal services, etc.) to communicate information about the campaign event to its executive and administrative personnel, stockholders, and the families of both groups. Costs of these types of activities are reportable by Intracoastal Transportation, Inc to the Federal Election Commission if over $2,000 in an election cycle. However, Intracoastal Transportation, Inc cannot use corporate resources to communicate information about the event to employees who are not part of the “restricted group” listed above or to the general public. Intracoastal Transportation, Inc can invite federal candidates to its
facilities for a meeting with executive and administrative personnel,
stockholders, and the families of each. At that meeting, Intracoastal
Transportation, Inc can endorse the candidate and tell the audience why
the candidate’s election is important to Intracoastal Transportation,
Inc. Intracoastal Transportation, Inc cannot collect contributions for the candidate. Executive and administrative personnel, stockholders, and the families of each, who make personal contributions must send those contributions directly to the candidate using their own postage. These contributions should not be sent on Intracoastal Transportation,
Inc letterhead since they are personal, not corporate. Nor should they
involve any Intracoastal Transportation, Inc administrative support, such
as typing letters, buying stamps, etc. Interpretation, Investigation, and Disciplinary Action Employees are encouraged to discuss these questions openly with their managers and HR managers. The Legal Department is available to help employees evaluate a particular course of conduct or understand a particular law, regulation, or policy. The preferred approach for reporting Code violations is for an employee to talk to his or her manager. If the issue is not resolved within the management chain, the employee may report the violation to the local HR manager. If an employee does not feel comfortable discussing the matter on a local level or requires additional guidance, he or she should contact the Ethics Officer, General Counsel, Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Associate General Counsel for Employment, Director of Security, or call the confidential Intracoastal Transportation, Inc Ethics Line. Contact information for these individuals is provided below. Reporting known or suspected violations is a sensitive issue. However, employees must recognize that violations of the Code damage Intracoastal Transportation, Inc by creating an unnecessary risk of criminal prosecution or of civil liability and by tarnishing the Company's good reputation.
Under no circumstances will any employee be subject to disciplinary or retaliatory action solely as a result of making a good-faith report of a violation or potential violation. To the extent possible, the Company will preserve the confidentiality of communications regarding possible violations. The Company will promptly investigate all reports of actual or suspected noncompliance with the Code. If a violation has occurred, Intracoastal Transportation, Inc will take appropriate action. This action may include, depending upon the seriousness of the violation,
counseling, a warning, discharge from employment, requirement to reimburse
Intracoastal Transportation, Inc for loss or damage caused by the violation,
a report to an appropriate government agency or official, or referral
of the matter for criminal prosecution. |
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2004. Intracoastal Transportation. All Rights Reserved. |