SOCIAL MEDIA GUIDELINES/POLICY
PURPOSE/AIM AND DEFINITION
As the online medium continues to transform, the opportunities for us to communicate with each other and the world are also
expanding alongside. While social media creates new opportunities for personal expression, it also creates new responsibilities.
Mastermind Group encourages its team members to be champions on behalf of the company. We strive toward creating a supportive workplace where open dialogue is encouraged, thereby enabling employees to realize their full potential.
Our company fosters an environment of equality for everyone, irrespective of religion, caste, color, gender, and background.
Our practices on social media speak no differently. Responsible social media behavior and showing sensitivity toward varied
beliefs and religions is what we, at Mastermind Group encourage and practice.
Social media includes all means of communicating or posting information or content of any sort on the Internet or
electronic-based social platforms, including your own or someone else’s web log or blog, journal or diary, or official or personal
emails, personal website, social networking or affinity website, web bulletin board, or a chat room, whether or not associated or
affiliated with Mastermind Group, as well as any other form of electronic-based communications. However, social media choices include
but are not limited to the mentioned platforms.
Carefully read these guidelines and ensure your postings are consistent with these policies. Inappropriate postings that may
include discriminatory remarks, harassment, and threats of violence or similar inappropriate or unlawful conduct will not be
tolerated and may subject you to disciplinary action.
Let us emulate the best practices and build a better environment for all to flourish in.
ELIGIBILITY
As the online medium continues to transform, the opportunities for us to communicate with each other and the world are also
expanding alongside. While social media creates new opportunities for personal expression, it also creates new responsibilities.
These Guidelines provide a summary of Mastermind Group’s policies and guidance relating to: –
- It must be noted that this policy is applicable to all the employees of Mastermind Group, at all levels and grades as well as to the subsidiaries of Mastermind Group.
- Personal participation and comments on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Reddit, Snapchat, Google+, Pinterest, Tumblr, blogs, wikis, chat rooms, podcasts, video aggregation platforms, or any other kind of social media platforms or any other electronic-based social platform(s) relating to or in relation thereof with Mastermind Group.
- This policy covers all external social media situations where you associate yourself with Mastermind Group and/or interact with Mastermind Group’s employees, Mastermind Group’s customers, or Mastermind Group’s vendors or comment on Mastermind Group’s social media posts, or with its products or services.
- This policy governs the monitoring of public social media mentions of Mastermind Group for opportunities to engage with customers, vendors, dealers, distributors, and employees.
- Employees while exercising their rights on Social Media are required to keep in mind, that there are chances where people may link your actions on social media with Mastermind Group, which may have a negative impact on the Company’s image and reputation on such electronic-based platforms, therefore, we expect you to abide by our Code of Conduct in everything you do on such social media or electronic platforms.
POLICY GUIDELINES
They mean that we trust you. We believe in our people and expect them to make smart, responsible, and sensible decisions. We
believe you are the best judge of your actions towards protecting the brand name, goodwill, image, and reputation of Mastermind Group. We
expect you to follow guidelines when engaging in personal or unofficial online activities, and business unit / corporate functions
as well: –
- In this day and age where digital communication has become a way of life, Mastermind Group encourages its employees to use social media, in a positive way, to enhance not only their personal brand but also the company’s image and brand in the digital world, and use these platforms even for learning and keeping abreast of the latest in their field of interest. Mastermind Group believes all employees can help us stay aware of how the Company is being perceived in the social media space. If anyone encounters a positive, negative, or inaccurate remark about Mastermind Group in the social media space and believes that they deserve attention, the same should be shared with the communications team of Mastermind Group. This will help us to improve and take appropriate action.
- Only the designated Mastermind Group employees are authorized to establish social media profiles or accounts on behalf of the company, and/or speak on behalf of, or represent Mastermind Group on social media websites or use social media to conduct business. Further, any news regarding the Company cannot be shared by any employee until it has first been shared through Mastermind Group’s official social media handles.
- It must be ensured that due compliance of all these social media guidelines must be complied with for any content which is posted either directly or indirectly on behalf of or in the name of Mastermind Group or associating with Mastermind Group.
- All brand names and embed logos, trademarks, trade names, wordmarks, or images of Mastermind Group are its proprietary rights (Both its trademark and copyright), owned by Mastermind Group. Anyone using these proprietary rights without prior permission of Mastermind Group for any purpose, including creating any digital or electronic content or identities or representation in any form whatsoever across the web or electronic medium shall be held guilty of violating the proprietary rights of Mastermind Group. Mastermind Group further reserves its right to issue cease and desist notices and/or initiate appropriate civil and criminal legal actions against any who is found to be in such violation.
- While social media engagement is what we urge, we don’t do it at the cost of our decorum, image, goodwill, reputation, and prestige. All those associated with Mastermind Group are requested to avoid such posts that encourage followers to respond inappropriately or initiate hatred, bias, or indecency of any kind.
- If your employment/relationship with Mastermind Group has ceased to exist, then you must immediately update your official designation by removing Mastermind Group, on all of your personal and public social media profiles. Only after updating your current or new employment status, should you operate your social media profiles. Not doing so amounts to misinterpretation of facts and misleading.
- Loyalty and dignity go a long way in portraying you well. You should adhere to the Mastermind Group Code of Conduct and Ethics on acceptable conduct, equal employment opportunity, computer/internet resources, workplace violence, safety, and security.
- Half information can be deadly. Double-check all content before you share it, both for accuracy and to make sure it fits into Mastermind Group’s overall social media strategy, and Code of Conduct.
- Did you mess up? If you make a mistake, admit it immediately, so that appropriate corrective measures can be taken at the earliest. Further, apologize if you need to, under the instructions of Mastermind Group. Be upfront and correct the error as soon as possible. We will appreciate it.
- You must respect and adhere to the various laws of India, including copyright and trademark laws and so also Mastermind Group’s copyrights, trademarks, and brands.
- The 1st rule of being an employee is to keep all company information confidential, just like your own. Do not share any company information such as its trade secrets, non-public information about proprietary business assets, Mastermind Group’s profits & earnings, technology, business plans, business methods and business strategies, and the relevant information on its suppliers, and dealers, vendors, distributors, and customers. The sharing of any such information by an employee, without due consent/ permission from Mastermind Group, will result in disciplinary and legal action or consequences. In case any employee forwards the Company’s internal emails/notices to any outsider or ex-employee, it shall be treated as serious misconduct and breach of the agreement.
- Others’ safety is in your hands too if you’re posting anything customer-related. Do not share or divulge any customer details without obtaining the due consent of respective customers and Mastermind Group.
- All the employees of Mastermind Group at all levels and grades, including senior executives, officers, employees (whether permanent, fixed-term, or temporary), trainees, seconded staff, casual workers, interns, dealers, distributors, internal vendors or any other person associated with the organization must refrain themselves from engaging in any manner in any hate speech, illicit or sexual content, abusive, defamatory, phonography, child abuses related contents, use third party proprietary right (third party trademark or copyright) any information that can hurt or harm the sentiments of any religion, caste, creed, color or gender, while directly or indirectly showing their association with Mastermind Group at any point of time, which could create any hostility or hate in general public against Mastermind Group.
- The use of social media or other such electronic mediums shouldn’t interfere with employees’ responsibilities at Mastermind Group.
- The employees must refrain from using social media during work hours or while working in the office unless it is work-related as authorized by the concerned team of Mastermind Group. Please do not use Company’s email addresses to register on social networks, blogs, or other online tools utilized for personal use.
- If employees find or encounter a situation while using social media that threatens to become antagonistic against Mastermind Group, then the employees should disengage from the dialogue in a polite manner and seek the advice of the communication team or any other designated team.
- Employees must get appropriate prior written permission to use a third party’s copyrights, copyrighted material, trademarks, service marks, or other intellectual property.
- Make sure you are always honest and accurate when posting information or news, and if you make a mistake, correct it quickly. Be open about any previous posts you have altered. Remember that the Internet archives almost everything; therefore, even deleted postings can be searched. Never post any information or rumors that you know to be false.
- Even if you are not an official spokesperson for the Company, you are one of our most vital assets for monitoring the social media landscape. In case any employee receives and/or comes across any unauthorized/unsanctioned post/image or any other content with reference to Mastermind Group on social media platforms, then such employee shall immediately report such post/image or content to the designated employee. This will ensure that appropriate rectification measures/ corrective measures can be taken by Mastermind Group at the earliest.
- Communications made on behalf of Mastermind Group with members of the media should be coordinated through the company’s corporate communication department only.
- Mastermind Group prohibits taking negative action against any employee for reporting a possible deviation from this policy or for cooperating in an investigation. Any employee who retaliates against another employee for reporting a possible deviation from this policy or for cooperating in an investigation will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
- All employees are subject to Mastermind Group’s code of conduct, in every public setting. You are responsible for your actions.
- Anything you post, that can potentially tarnish Mastermind Group’s image, reputation, goodwill, and name will ultimately be your responsibility.
- We encourage you to participate in the online social media space but urge you to do so properly, exercising sound judgment and common sense.
- Employees are encouraged to take up any grievance, or wrongdoing, which they feel affects them personally, with their superiors/Management to get the correct picture/official version, before posting on social media. Social media may only be used for venting out frustration with any/ posting any perceived negative incident/grievance, only when all other channels of redressal are exhausted. The company will be forced to take appropriate disciplinary action if an employee is found to indulge in unwarranted and factually incorrect social media posts, personal outbursts, share confidential/Business sensitive information on social media, which may affect the brand image or business of the company.