Information is a vital company asset. It sets us apart from our competition and drives our daily activities and decisions. You play a role in protecting our confidential information by controlling how you use it, store it, and communicate it. If you use or have access to confidential information, you are required to safeguard it and use it appropriately. It is your job to prevent its unauthorized disclosure, both outside of the Company and to team members within the Company who do not need the information to perform their job. You also need to protect confidential information when you communicate it.
All the Company’s information that is not public must be treated as confidential. Here are some examples of non-public, confidential information:
- Financial information (for example: sales information and wash volume data)
- Strategic plans (for example: expansions and new markets)
- Vendor Information (for example: pricing and capabilities)
- Marketing plans (for example: ad campaigns, etc.)
- Guest information (including credit card information, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, etc.)
Team member information, including:
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- Compensation*
- Benefits*
- Discipline
- Investigations and findings
- Other personnel information
*Individual compensation, pay, and benefits are not to be discussed or disclosed between team members.
You have a legal duty to keep our confidential information confidential. Sometimes the Company receives confidential information from a third party (such as a vendor), and you must also keep that information confidential. The Company also prohibits the use of confidential information for your own personal gain or misuse in any other way. Accessing confidential information for non-business reasons is not acceptable.
All employees are expected to keep confidential information secure by doing the following:
- Secure Information: Store confidential information in areas that are not accessible by people who don’t have a need to know the information to do their job.
- Lock It Up: Don’t leave confidential information on a counter, desk, screen, or other open area. Lock it up in a drawer or cabinet. Save it in a password-protected file.
- Shred It: Shred confidential information. Don’t place it in a recycle or trash bin.
Here are some examples of guidelines you should follow:
- Make sure someone needs to know. You should never share confidential information with another team member unless they have a need to know the information to do their job. If you need to share confidential information with someone outside the Company, confirm there is proper authorization to do so. If you are unsure, talk to the Location Manager or Partners.
- Develop a healthy suspicion. Don’t let anyone trick you into disclosing confidential information. Be suspicious if you are asked to ignore identification procedures.
- Watch what you say. Don’t have conversations regarding confidential information at work, in the break room, near guests, or in any other open area. Never discuss confidential information at home or in public areas.
A violation of the Company’s policies regarding confidential information will result in corrective action, up to and including discharge. You also may be subject to legal action, including criminal prosecution. The Company also reserves the right to take any other action it believes is appropriate.
