We recognise that the internet provides unique opportunities to participate in interactive discussions and share information on particular topics using a wide variety of social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, blogs and wikis. However, employees’ use of social media can pose risks to our confidential and proprietary information, and reputation, and can jeopardise our compliance with legal obligations.

To minimise these risks, to avoid loss of productivity and to ensure that our IT resources and communications systems are used only for appropriate business purposes, we expect employees to adhere to this policy.

This policy does not form part of any employee’s contract of employment and it may be amended at any time.

Scope and purpose of the policy

This policy deals with the use of all forms of social media, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Wikipedia, all other social networking sites, and all other internet postings, including blogs.

It applies to the use of social media for both business and personal purposes, whether during office hours or otherwise. The policy applies regardless of whether the social media is accessed using our IT facilities and equipment or equipment belonging to employees.

Breach of this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. Disciplinary action may be taken regardless of whether the breach is committed during working hours, and regardless of whether our equipment or facilities are used for the purpose of committing the breach. Any employee suspected of committing a breach of this policy will be required to co-operate with our investigation, which may involve handing over relevant passwords and login details.

Employees may be required to remove internet postings which are deemed to constitute a breach of this policy. Failure to comply with such a request may in itself result in disciplinary action.

Personnel responsible for implementing the policy

The has overall responsibility for the effective operation, monitoring and reviewing of this policy.

All managers have a specific responsibility for operating within the boundaries of this policy, ensuring that all employees understand the standards of behaviour expected of them and taking action when behaviour falls below its requirements.

All employees are responsible for the success of this policy and should ensure that they take the time to read and understand it. Any misuse of social media should be reported to the Managing Director. Questions regarding the content or application of this policy should be directed to your line manager.

Compliance with related policies and agreements

Social media should never be used in a way that breaches any of our other policies. If an internet post would breach any of our policies in another forum, it will also breach them in an online forum. For example, employees are prohibited from using social media to:

• breach our Computers, E-mail and Internet policy;
• breach our obligations with respect to the rules of relevant regulatory bodies;
• breach any obligations they may have relating to confidentiality;
• breach our Disciplinary Rules;
• defame or disparage the organisation or its affiliates, customers, clients, business partners, suppliers, vendors or other stakeholders;
• harass or bully other employees in any way;
• unlawfully discriminate against other employees or third parties or breach our Equal opportunities policy;
• breach our Data protection policy (for example, never disclose personal information about a colleague online);
• breach any other laws or ethical standards (for example, never use social media in a false or misleading way, such as by claiming to be someone other than you or by making misleading statements).
• Employees should never provide references for other individuals on social or professional networking sites, as such references, positive and negative, can be attributed to the organisation and create legal liability for both the author of the reference and the organisation.
• Employees who breach any of the above policies will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.

Personal use of social media

The Company recognises that many employees make use of social media in a personal capacity. While they are not acting on behalf of the company, employees must be aware that they can damage the Company if they are recognised as being one of our employees.

Employees are allowed to say that they work for the Company, which recognises that it is natural for its staff sometimes to want to discuss their work on social media. The employee’s online profile may reference the company name but, if so, it must make be clear that the opinions are their own, not those of the company.

Monitoring

The contents of our IT resources and communications systems are our property. Therefore, employees should have no expectation of privacy in any message, files, data, document, facsimile, telephone conversation, social media post conversation or message, or any other kind of information or communications transmitted to, received or printed from, or stored or recorded on our electronic information and communications systems.

We reserve the right to monitor, intercept and review, without further notice, employee activities using our IT resources and communications systems, including but not limited to social media postings and activities, to ensure that our rules are being complied with and for legitimate business purposes and you consent to such monitoring by your acknowledgement of this policy and your use of such resources and systems. This might include, without limitation, the monitoring, interception, accessing, recording, disclosing, inspecting, reviewing, retrieving and printing of transactions, messages, communications, postings, log-ins, recordings and other uses of the systems as well as keystroke capturing and other network monitoring technologies.

We may store copies of such data or communications for a period of time after they are created, and may delete such copies from time to time without notice.

Do not use our IT resources and communications systems for any matter that you wish to be kept private or confidential from the organisation.

Business use of social media

If your duties require you to speak on behalf of the organisation in a social media environment, you must still seek approval for such communication from your manager, who may require you to undergo training before you do so and impose certain requirements and restrictions with regard to your activities.

Likewise, if you are contacted for comments about the organisation for publication anywhere, including in any social media outlet, direct the inquiry to the Managing Director and do not respond without written approval.

The use of social media for business purposes is subject to the remainder of this policy.

Recruitment

We may use internet searches to perform due diligence on candidates in the course of recruitment. Where we do this, we will act in accordance with our data protection and equal opportunities obligations.

Responsible use of social media

The following sections of the policy provide employees with common-sense guidelines and recommendations for using social media responsibly and safely, in a professional or personal capacity, in relation to work related activities.

Protecting our business reputation:

Employees must not post disparaging or defamatory statements about:

• our organisation;
• our clients;
• suppliers and vendors; and
• other affiliates and stakeholders,

Employees should also avoid social media communications that might be misconstrued in a way that could damage our business reputation, even indirectly.

Employees should make it clear in social media postings that they are speaking on their own behalf. Write in the first person and use a personal e-mail address when communicating via social media.

Any social media posts made via the Company’s social networking accounts should be approved by the before they are posted on to the relevant websites.

Employees are personally responsible for what they communicate in social media. Remember that what you publish might be available to be read by the masses (including the organisation itself, future employers and social acquaintances) for a long time. Keep this in mind before you post content.

If you disclose your affiliation as an employee of our organisation, you must also state that your views do not represent those of your employer. For example, you could state, “the views in this posting do not represent the views of my employer”. You should also ensure that your profile and any content you post are consistent with the professional image you present to clients and colleagues.

Avoid posting comments about sensitive business-related topics, such as our performance. Even if you make it clear that your views on such topics do not represent those of the organisation, your comments could still damage our reputation.

If you are uncertain or concerned about the appropriateness of any statement or posting, refrain from making the communication until you discuss it with your manager.

If you see content in social media that disparages or reflects poorly on our organisation or our stakeholders, you should contact your manager. All employees are responsible for protecting our business reputation.

Respecting intellectual property and confidential information:

• Employees should not do anything to jeopardise our valuable trade secrets and other confidential information and intellectual property through the use of social media.
• In addition, employees should avoid misappropriating or infringing the intellectual property of other companies and individuals, which can create liability for the organisation, as well as the individual author.
• Do not use our logos, brand names, slogans or other trademarks, or post any of our confidential or proprietary information without prior written permission.
• To protect yourself and the organisation against liability for copyright infringement, where appropriate, reference sources of particular information you post or upload and cite them accurately. If you have any questions about whether a particular post or upload might violate anyone’s copyright or trademark, ask your line manager before making the communication.

Respecting colleagues, clients, partners and suppliers:

Do not post anything that your colleagues or our customers, clients, business partners, suppliers, vendors or other stakeholders would find offensive, including discriminatory comments, insults or obscenity.

Do not post anything related to your colleagues or our customers, clients, business partners, suppliers, vendors or other stakeholders without their written permission.