Ethics and integrity have always been an important part of Staples’ culture. 

As we grow, we want to make sure these values continue to define who we are and our relationships with customers, suppliers, and fellow associates around the world.  In 2004, Staples established a Global Ethics Office to help each of our global businesses do business responsibly, ethically, and legally.

The term “ethics” means different things to different people. Some people see it as being able to tell right from wrong, or the moral beliefs you learned as a child. At Staples, ethics means more than doing the right thing in a personal sense. It’s a way of doing business that helps us build and maintain trusting relationships with all of our stakeholders. We do that by setting clear standards, educating associates about the right way to do things and how to spot potential “grey” areas, and making sure that we respond appropriately when questions or concerns are raised. 

At Staples, we have a robust global Code of Ethics and a variety of additional policies, procedures, and training programs to help associates make sound decisions in keeping with our values. Our associates work in a fast-paced, innovative environment and need to make quick, effective, and ethical decisions. Our Code of Ethics is in place for our associates to offer guidance in unfamiliar or difficult situations. If our associates aren’t sure of the right way to handle a situation, we urge them to start by asking six simple questions: Is it legal? Is it consistent with our values? Does it comply with our policies? What would your family think? How would it look in the newspaper? Is it best for the company as a whole?

While these resources help the company maintain consistently high ethical standards around the world, in our view the most effective way to drive a culture of integrity is through our leaders. That’s why we recently launched a new Leaders’ Guide to Ethics at Staples and have conducted interactive ethics workshops with managers across the company.

Additionally, we strive to work with suppliers who treat their workers with dignity and respect, adhere to applicable laws and regulations, and make their products in an environmentally sustainable manner. As a result, we have developed a detailed Supplier Code of Conduct modelled after the Social Accountability 8000 (SA8000) standard that is presented to all European suppliers. This Code addresses nine key areas: forced labor, child labor, harassment and abuse, nondiscrimination, health and safety, freedom of association and collective bargaining, wages and benefits, hours of work, and overtime compensation. To ensure compliance, we have the right to monitor factories through audits by third parties and visits by Staples personnel.