The company recognizes the importance and benefits of communicating through social media. These are official guidelines for participating and engaging in social media on behalf of or as a representative of both our company and our customers. The company requires those who participate in social media on its behalf to (1) understand the technology they are using and (2) abide by the following principles and engagement guidelines. Failure to do so may damage the Employer reputation and standing and may result in consequences for the responsible employee or contractor.
SUMMARY OF BASIC PRINCIPLES
- Have clear plans, strategies, goals and clearly defined social media responsibilities before engaging on social media.
- Be responsible for continuous monitoring, maintenance and timely response.
- Be transparent, and avoid misrepresentation.
- Write about what you know, and stick to your area of expertise when commenting.
- Be a team player in reporting developments and sharing findings internally across others on the business team.
- Post meaningful, respectful comments — no spam, off-topic or unprofessional remarks.
- Always pause and think before posting, and consult with a VP or chief expert if unsure.
- If you make a mistake, admit it — and be upfront and quick with your correction.
- Respect confidentiality of all participants, and never disclose client information.
- Respect copyright laws and give credit to sources of written content, images and ideas you reference or use.
- Handle negative comments and developments quickly, professionally and strategically. Keep the conversation brief and don’t engage in an argument.
- Always use proper grammar and write clearly.
- Must have two-factor authentication enabled to be an admin on any company owned outlets.
ENGAGEMENT GUIDELINES
- Be clear and professional in all your posts – both personal and as a representative of the company. Employees that are designated to represent the company and our clients on social media sites must maintain a high level of ethical conduct and professional decorum. Individuals authorized to post on company owned social media sites shall present information that is accurate, relevant and factual. It should also follow professional standards for grammar, spelling and clarity.
- Act carefully to protect privacy, confidentiality, and reputation. Employees must recognize that content and messages posted on social media are public and are official communications. Employees may not use either institutional social media accounts or their own personal social media accounts to reveal confidential information obtained through their official responsibilities as an employee of the company.
- Follow company editorial and brand style. All social media posts should abide by official company standards for branding, graphics and written communications.
- Respect copyright law. Obtain permission from the copyright owner before using copyrighted material such as original works of authorship including videos and images or literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works. Provide a link to the original material if possible.
- When in doubt, ask. If you have any questions about what is appropriate, check with Rachel Cutrer.
Individuals authorized to post official company information on social media sites shall not
- post information directly related to ongoing investigations, negotiations and/or matters that are confidential or privileged by law;
- lobby or post politically partisan comments;
- imply or post information that would give an ordinary member of the public the impression that the communication represents the views or positions of the company or its clients unless expressly authorized to do so;
- impede the general performance and operation of the company or its clients or affects working relationships necessary to the proper functioning of the company;
- endorse any product, vendor or site on the company social media outlets unless given permission to do so, including employee’s personal businesses such as Scentsy, Rodan Fields, makeup, employee-owned farms or ranches, businesses, etc.
Note to employees using their own personal social media sites:
Make it clear that the views expressed are yours. Recognize that effective social engagement depends upon transparency. Your honesty —or dishonesty — will be quickly noticed in the social media environment, and your credibility — and that of the company and our customers — will be at stake.
If you have a vested interest in something you are discussing, be the first to point it out. Write in the first person, and if you maintain a personal blog or website and write opinion pieces about the agricultural industry or livestock sector, use a disclaimer, such as “The postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent the positions, strategies or opinions of Ranch House Designs or its customers.”