Legal and Ethical Policies

Helicon conducts its work under the highest of ethical standards. In fact, Helicon has assisted its own clients to develop ethical and legal policies and compliance systems. Helicon's Managing Partner has served as a member of the ethics committee of the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals and wrote a regular competitive intelligence column on "Law and Ethics" for from 1999 to 2001. All of Helicon’s Guidelines exceed the standards established by the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals in its Code of Ethics.

Competitive intelligence involves the legal and ethical collection and development of data on competition, competitors, and the market environment. It then transforms, by analysis, that data into information. In its competitive intelligence research and analysis assignments, The Helicon Group:

Collects and disseminates data in full compliance with applicable local and national laws. Specifically, its assignments are always carried out in full compliance with both the Uniform Trade Secrets Act and the U.S. Economic Espionage Act of 1996.

Accurately discloses all relevant information, including the caller’s identity and organization, prior to all data collection interviews.

Respects all requests for the confidential handling of information provided to Helicon during data collection.

Supplies honest and realistic evaluations of what data and analysis can and cannot be developed for a client before beginning an assignment.

Provides professional, honest and realistic analyses, based on the available data. Helicon clearly delineates the difference between fact and opinion, and between what can be confirmed and what cannot be confirmed.

Never makes copies of any client materials marked as “confidential” or the equivalent.

Returns all internal materials provided by a client with respect to an assignment at the conclusion of the assignment. Helicon retains no copies of such materials.

Does not disclose to any person, firm or corporation, the identity of any client or any confidential information regarding any client, an assignment, or the business of any client received or developed in connection with an assignment without the client’s consent. No Helicon client will see its name used in advertising without its specific consent.

Avoids all direct conflicts of interest.

Never employs questionable data collection activities. These are techniques, otherwise legal, which, if made public, might tend to embarrass Helicon’s reputation or that of a client.

Does not engage in undisclosed subcontracting. When a client retains Helicon, the work is done by Helicon's partners and by its affiliates. If a client does authorize a subcontract, Helicon requires the subcontractor to abide by these guidelines.

Complies with all applicable client policies and guidelines dealing with the collection of data for competitive intelligence. If there is a conflict between Helicon’s guidelines and the client’s policies and guidelines, Helicon’s performance is always governed by the higher standard.