As Argos USA representatives, we may attend trade association meetings, customer meetings, and receptions that our competitors attend. During these events, it is essential to maintain Argos’ independence of judgment and action at all times and avoid even the appearance of collusion with a competitor regarding business matters. Below are ten steps you can take to protect yourself and Argos when interacting with competitors.
- DO NOT enter into any agreement, arrangement, or even discussion with any competitor concerning pricing, results, company development, or confidential business information
- DO NOT communicate or coordinate with a competitor about price increases or price increase announcements.
- DO NOT cooperate with another competitor in your negotiations or dealings with suppliers or customers.
- DO NOT complain to a competitor about its business practices.
- DO NOT obtain information about competitors (mainly price information) directly from competitors.
- DO NOT engage in any course of conduct or tactics that can be construed as being designed to exclude competitors, eliminate one or more particular competitors, eliminate or limit competition with a competitor, or control prices in a market.
- DO send all correspondence, emails or other written communications from a competitor related to any competitively sensitive area to the Company’s Legal Department.
- DO NOT attend or participate in any gatherings, conversations or meetings with competitors (including trade association meetings, customer meetings or events, receptions, or meals) where prices, competition or any competitively sensitive subjects are discussed.
- DO NOT stay at a meeting or any other gathering with competitors where prices, competition or any competitively sensitive matters are discussed.
- DO NOT create documents or other records that might be misinterpreted to suggest that Argos condones or is involved in anticompetitive behavior.
