The Postal Service is committed to maintaining its standing as a responsible service organization, and understands that socially responsible behavior is good for business. This principle solidifies this element of corporate culture and enhances the trust factor in key business relationships.
Postal Service supplying professionals will act with the highest standards of conduct, ethics and integrity. All Postal Service employees must adhere to the “Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch”, 5 CFR 2635 and the “Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct for Postal Employees” at 5 CFR Part 7001. In addition, Postal Service supplying activities are guided by the Institute of SM’s “Principles of Social Responsibility” available at http://www.ism.ws/ISMMembership/Principles.cfm. The Postal Service will be fair, objective, and business-like in its dealings with the supplier community, ensuring that business decisions are driven by business considerations.
The Postal Service will seek to minimize both personal and organizational conflicts of interest. Postal Service supplying professionals are prohibited from establishing and maintaining relationships of self-interest with any suppliers or potential suppliers. The Postal Service will attempt to avoid situations in which a supplier has an unfair competitive advantage or other interests that may impair the supplier’s objectivity in dealing with the Postal Service or in its ability to perform satisfactorily on Postal Service contracts.
The Postal Service does not contract with former officers or Postal Career Executive Service (PCES) executives or entities with which such individuals have a substantial interest for 1 year after the date of their separation from the Postal Service (whether by retirement or otherwise) if the contract calls for substantially the same duties as they performed during their career with the Postal Service, as determined by the VP, Human Resources (HR). The VP, HR, may grant exceptions to this policy when he or she determines that doing so is in the best interest of the Postal Service. Lastly, contracts with former employees (those who are not former officers or executives), or with suppliers proposing the use of former officers, executive or employees, are subject to the review and approval of the VP, HR.
Promoting an environmentally responsible supply base furthers the Postal Service’s business and competitive interests. Therefore, the Postal Service complies with applicable environmental laws and regulations and is committed to encouraging its supply chain partners to promote and enhance environmental responsibility in their conduct of postal business.
