US: Thomson Reuters' new code of ethics on blogging and talking with competitors

Last week, Thomson Reuters established an ethics code that forbids its staff from using blogs for internal communications and from communicating with competitors.

Mentioning the company in a personal blog is allowed, but blogging about "confidential info and company clients" is not. Also, a personal blog should not be used as a platform to express differences with co-workers, the company, or those that Thomas Reuters does business with. Furthermore, the staff cannot take gifts.

The code includes suggestions to make sure that people nearby will not be able to see employees' laptop screens, such as: "a nondescript bag will draw less attention than a traditional laptop bag."

Thomson Reuters also has a section devoted to fair competition. It states that employees who attend a conference, trade show, association event, or meeting  should "limit informal contact to the extent possible and keep a written summary of any discussions that may have taken place."

Source: Paidcontent