Business Courtesies Duke Energy's Code of Business Ethics
The giving and receiving of gifts or entertainment can be important and appropriate ways of building and maintaining proper business relationships. However, in order to maintain trust and integrity with our business partners, it is important to be prudent when accepting business courtesies.
Our Responsibilities
Duke Energy employees are expected to act with integrity when deciding whether to accept a business courtesy (i.e., anything of value for which the recipient does not pay fair market value, including gifts, services and entertainment).
Employees who are buyers, who influence buying, or who are involved in procurement transactions in any way (e.g., determining specifications, evaluating bids, choosing vendors or suppliers) must be especially careful when deciding whether to accept a business courtesy.
Duke Energy employees must:
- Accept only personal gifts that would be considered common business courtesies and for which we would reasonably expect to give something similar in return in the normal course of business.
- Maintain a written list of business courtesies received.
- Obtain written supervisory approval prior to accepting a business courtesy of significant or unique value.
- Report gifts received from representatives of foreign countries.
Employees must not:
- Accept or request any business courtesy that might be intended to influence, or appears to influence, a business decision.
