Doing the right thing matters. We're serious about upholding high ethical standards and following the law. This part of the handbook breaks down our key policies so you know exactly what's expected from everyone on the team.
Code of conduct: How we work together
Think of this as our team agreement. It's pretty straightforward: treat everyone with respect, act with integrity, and live by our core values. Simple as that.
No harassment. Period
We have a zero-tolerance policy for harassment. Full stop. That means none of the following:
- Offensive comments about gender, identity, age, orientation, disability, appearance, race, or religion.
- Trying to intimidate, stalk, or follow someone.
- Taking photos or recording someone when it's harassing.
- Constantly disrupting talks or meetings.
- Inappropriate touching.
- Unwanted sexual attention.
If you see or experience any harassment, please tell your team lead or Han immediately. We'll keep it confidential and take the right steps.
No corruption or bribery
This stuff has no place here. We strictly forbid:
- Offering or taking bribes.
- Making sketchy "facilitation payments".
- Getting into situations with conflicts of interest.
- Trying to improperly influence government officials.
All our money matters need to be transparent, recorded accurately, and documented properly.
Protecting data privacy
We respect everyone's privacy – our team, our clients, our partners. When you handle personal data, remember to:
- Only collect what's truly necessary for business.
- Store it securely and limit who can access it.
- Use it only for its intended purpose.
- Follow all privacy laws that apply.
Not sure about handling data? Just ask your team lead.
Key compliance policies
There are two specific policies that are especially important to understand:
NDA and intellectual property
When you join Dwarves, you sign agreements covering confidentiality, non-solicitation, and intellectual property. These protect our work, our clients, and our competitive position. Full details are in our NDA policy, covering:
- What information must be kept confidential
- Your responsibilities during and after employment
- How we handle intellectual property
Outside professional activities
We support your growth through side projects while ensuring they don't create conflicts. Our moonlighting policy explains:
- What outside activities we support
- What creates conflicts of interest
- How to discuss potential opportunities
Got concerns? Speak up
If you see something that might violate our policies, you need to say something. It's everyone's responsibility. Here's how:
- Talk directly to your team lead.
- Reach out to Han.
- Email ops@d.foundation.
We absolutely forbid retaliation against anyone reporting concerns honestly. We'll protect your identity as much as we can and investigate everything thoroughly.
What happens if rules are broken?
We take compliance very seriously. Breaking our policies can lead to:
- Verbal or written warnings.
- Performance improvement plans.
- Ending employment or contracts.
- Legal action, if necessary.
The outcome depends on how serious the violation is, decided case-by-case.
Staying sharp: Training & awareness
Knowledge is power, especially for compliance. Everyone gets:
- Compliance training when you first join (onboarding).
- Regular updates on any policy changes.
- Annual refresher training.
Please pay attention to these – they're important for our success and reputation!
Always getting better
Our compliance efforts are always evolving. Got ideas on how we can improve? We want to hear them!
Share your suggestions with your team lead or shoot an email to ops@d.foundation.
Remember, compliance isn't just ticking boxes. It's about building a trustworthy culture where everyone feels safe and respected. We all play a part in keeping our standards high.
Next: Moonlighting | NDA
