Ethical decision-making centers around doing what is right and fair when it comes to people dealing with people. Sexual harassment and discrimination conflict with our ethical culture, with TI policy, and with federal law, and are not tolerated at TI.
TI business decisions depend only upon job-related factors, TI principles and values, good common sense, and our ethical culture. Decisions affecting TIers must be based upon dignity, respect, integrity, equality, and fairness in an environment where people are valued as individuals. Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination and simply has no place in the way we do our business. At TI it is not tolerated in any form. Because such conduct is so offensive, offenders may be terminated without the use of the progressive discipline system.
Examples of sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature (including jokes) that constitute harassment include
Simply stated, sexual harassment demonstrates lack of respect for the individual and attacks individual dignity, both cornerstones of the TI culture.
The increased use of the Windows environment on our PC's has raised some ethical issues. The use of questionable or pornographic wallpaper is one of these issues.
The move toward the Windows environment has increased computer literacy and has raised several ethical issues and questions that have come up to us on the Ethics communications lines. The list includes
Another interesting issue was recently raised by a concerned TIer. MSDOS Windows on PCs allows the display of a graphic picture for the screen background, the picture called wallpaper. Of course, an entire industry has sprung up to provide wallpaper graphics with topics ranging from the scenic to the obscene. The problem is dealing with the latter case. What are considered reasonable, acceptable limits?
Easy access to the Internet, NNTP News and cheap off-the-shelf software has allowed some TIers to load questionable and even pornographic graphics onto TI computer systems. In one reported incident, a TIer apparently copied an obscene graphics file over to another's computer without their knowledge and consent, replacing a normally acceptable wallpaper with something obscene in nature.
While common sense would tell most of us that such behavior is of poor taste and unacceptable at TI, under some circumstances it could be considered as "hostile environment" sexual harassment. Such behavior fails to meet the responsibility each of us has to promote a positive work environment by respecting the individual rights of others, by conducting ourselves in a professional and business-like manner, and by refraining from inappropriate or sexually harassing conduct.
Several other related questions for those who might be considering this activity
TIers who know of those who improperly use TI assets in this manner have a responsibility to either encourage the violator to stop, to notify their supervisor, or to contact the Ethics Office.
TI remains committed to an environment where people are valued as individuals and treated with respect and dignity.