May 2001 marks the tenth anniversary of the JPL Ethics Program. Since the Ethics Office opened its doors in 1991, the JPL Ethics Program has evolved into a highly effective, values-based program that ensures a strong channel of communication and ethics education at JPL.

However the JPL Ethics Program is simply a foundation for behavior. As employees at a federally funded research and development center, we are charged with the public trust. Members of the JPL community must always exhibit a commitment to integrity and high ethical standards. Each and every one of us must avoid both the fact and the appearance of unethical behavior as we go about our daily work. Managers can facilitate this aim through an ongoing dialogue about ethics, including periodic discussions at staff meetings.

This handbook is our guide to the principles of ethical conduct. It helps us make good decisions by applying values to specific issues that arise in the workplace. Used in conjunction with the Laboratory's published policies and practices, the handbook will help each of us apply our institutional and personal values of honesty, fairness, and integrity to everything we do at and for the Laboratory.

If you have a question that is not answered in the handbook, discuss it with your supervisor or with a member of the JPL Ethics Office. Working together, we can ensure that our day-to-day activities reflect our commitment to the JPL Ethics Honor Code:

• I will conduct all business dealings with fairness, honesty, and integrity.
• I will protect all information and resources available to me from loss, theft, and misuse.
• I will avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest or any other impropriety.
• I will treat my fellow employees fairly, and with dignity and respect.
• I will help create and sustain an atmosphere conducive to the spirit of this code.

Charles Elachi
Director