Corporate Governance
Employees must respect and protect the complete confidentiality of MMG’s business information. Confidential business information is information:
Laws and regulations concerning business transactions with many national, state, provincial and municipal governments and agencies, either prohibit government employees or officials from accepting gifts, gratuities or entertainment or otherwise limit such acceptance of gifts, gratuities or entertainment.
MMG prohibits giving any government or agency employee or official a gift, gratuity, or entertainment unless it is first established that it is permitted by applicable law. If you need advice, or if you have reason to believe that giving a gift or entertainment to a government official or employee may violate a law or regulation, discuss the matter with MMG’s management.
Receiving Gifts — Employees
By receiving gifts or entertainment, an employee may create the impression that he or she favors an advertiser, client, agent, supplier, consultant or business partner for reasons of personal advantage rather than because of price, quality, or service.
An employee who is directly involved in acquiring products or services from an outside vendor must use special care to avoid the existence-or even the appearance-of impropriety.
MMG does not prohibit the receipt of gifts and entertainment. Employees are expected to use good judgment and to accept gifts or entertainment only if all of the following apply:
* The gift or entertainment is of limited value (US $250 or less from a single supplier in a calendar year) and in a form that it will not be construed as a bribe or payoff;
* Giving and accepting the gift or entertainment is consistent with accepted ethical customs and practices; and ? Disclosure of the gift or entertainment to fellow employees would not embarrass the recipient employee or MMG.
Questions regarding the appropriateness of accepting a gift or offer of entertainment should be addressed to MMG’s management. Exceptions of this policy require the prior written consent of MMG’s management.
MMG strives to provide a work environment free from harassment in all forms including sexual harassment and discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, age, gender, sex, sexual orientation, or disability. “Harassment”, in general, is unwelcome or unwanted, offensive behavior expressed by an employee toward another, which may include such conduct as slurs, jokes, intimidation or any other verbal or physical attack upon a person based on race, religion, age, gender, disability, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, the performance of sexual favors as a condition of an employee’s employment status, or conduct that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment. “Sexual harassment” is unwanted sexual advances, or visual, verbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature. It includes all forms of offensive behavior, including gender-based harassment of a person of the same sex as the harasser. Sexual harassment is not to be tolerated in the workplace or in other work-related settings such as business trips and business-related social events.
Any employee found to have harassed or otherwise discriminated against another employee or individual with a business relationship with MMG is subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. Retaliation against an employee who reports alleged harassment or discrimination because of a prohibited reason will not be tolerated.
It is MMG’s policy to comply with all laws, rules, and regulations governing trading in company securities by insiders. Employees may not buy or sell MMG securities on the basis of material, non-public information (“inside information”) nor may employees possessing inside information disclose (“tip”) such information to any other person (including friends and family members) where such information may be used by such person to his or her profit by trading securities. The law forbids employees-and anyone who obtains information from an employee-from buying or selling securities on the basis of inside information, no matter how small the transaction. Violation of insider trading provisions can result in criminal penalties, including liability for damages, large fines, and imprisonment.
International business
Employees who conduct business outside the United States must comply with the specific laws and regulations of the host country. Any questions concerning specific appropriate international conduct should be directed to MMG’s management.
Employees must comply with U. S. anti-boycott laws that prohibit U. S. citizens and companies from supporting in any way one foreign country’s boycott of another foreign country. In some cases, the mere receipt of a request to participate in a boycott must be reported to the U. S. government. Failure to report may constitute a legal violation, even if the MMG employee has refused to participate in the boycott.
Internet, e-mail, voicemail, and other messaging systems
MMG regards Internet access as well as e-mail, voicemail, and other messaging systems provided by MMG as significant firm resources, and encourages, full, productive use of these systems. The Internet, e-mail, voicemail and other messaging systems and other messaging systems should be used primarily for business purposes. Reasonable personal use is permitted. In all cases, the content of messages and the accessing of Web sites must conform to MMG’s business principles and policies and should be prudent and professional. Under no circumstances should you initiate or forward a message that contains a discourteous, offensive, crude, or sexual material. Confidentiality should always be borne in mind: these systems cannot be considered private, and your message (whether through misdirection, response to legal process or otherwise) may read or heard by someone other than the intended recipient inside or outside of MMG. MMG reserves the right to monitor use of the Internet and messaging systems, to review all communications and to disclose such information to others. If you have questions about the proper use of the Internet or about the proper content of e-mail or voicemail messages, or have received or noticed an inappropriate message you should consult MMG’s management.
Political contributions
MMG’s policy is to comply strictly with laws, rules, and regulations governing political activities, including political contributions. MMG encourages participation in the political process by its employees. However, the U. S. government, some states, and some other countries have enacted laws regulating political activity, including campaign contributions, in order to limit the political influence of certain types of contributors. For more information and specific guidelines relating to political contributions, please consult with MMG’s management prior to making any significant political contributions.
Privacy and communications
Compliance with MMG policies regarding online privacy and propriety in communications is mandatory. MMG’s guidelines for web pages require providing users with notice of information practices, choices in how information can be used, opportunity to access, update or correct contact information, protection of personally identifiable information, and means for allowing visitors to contact the administrator. Any MMG web site that collects user data must follow these privacy guidelines.
Release of business or financial information
MMG is committed to making accurate and timely public disclosure of all business and financial information required by law, regulation, or sound business policy, without advantage to any particular analyst or investor, consistent with the requirements of the Fair Disclosure Regulation (“Regulation FD”) of the SEC. MMG’s policy is to balance its interests in maintaining an open dialogue with stockholders, potential investors, and the market against its need for confidentiality about key business and operating strategies. MMG will continue to provide stockholders and the market with access to key information reasonably required to make an informed decision on whether to invest in MMG stock, in a manner consistent with the requirements of Regulation FD and other applicable rules and regulations.
No employee is authorized to communicate business or financial information about MMG that is non-public, material information.
Service on third-party boards of directors
It is recognized that, from time to time, some MMG employees will be asked to serve as members of boards of directors of companies that are not affiliated with MMG. Generally, MMG’s policy on Conflicts of Interest emphasizes the right of employees to carry on such outside business or other activities as they may deem proper, provided that the activities are legal, do not interfere with performance of MMG duties, do not involve use or misuse of MMG influence or resources, and do not discredit MMG’s name. Additionally, MMG recognizes that there may be good business and personal reasons for its employees to have the opportunity to sit on third party boards of directors.
As a general rule, service by MMG employees on outside boards is, therefore, permissible. Any employee desiring to serve on a third-party board of directors must first receive written approval from MMG’s management.
Software licensing and registration
MMG’s policy is to honor all software copyrights and restrictions for software used on MMG computers. Most computer software is protected by copyright laws and contractual restrictions that safeguard the software manufacturer’s investment in creating new software. When MMG or an employee purchases a copy of a software package, the copyright owner, and not the purchaser of the software, retains the right to control the number of copies made of the software. The purchaser’s limited rights to use the software are set out in a license agreement that comes with the software. The precise terms of such licenses vary among software programs, but certain key restrictions are common to most licenses.
Each employee must ensure that no use of third-party software at MMG infringes the copyright of any party or violates any license.
Waivers of certain provisions of this COBE with respect to an executive officer must be approved by the Board in accordance with applicable rules and standards. In some circumstances, MMG must publicly disclose a waiver and/or amendment of the COBE.
Interpretation, investigation, and disciplinary action under COBE
The ethics principles and standards in COBE are necessarily general in nature. From time to time, questions will arise as to whether a particular course of conduct violates COBE or any MMG policy. Employees are encouraged to discuss these questions openly with MMG’s management. MMG’s C. O. O. and outside counsel are available to help employees evaluate a particular course of conduct or understand a particular law, regulation, or policy.
The preferred approach for reporting COBE violations is for an employee to talk to his or her direct manager. If the issue is not resolved within the management chain, the employee may report the violation to a member of MMG’s management. If an employee does not feel comfortable discussing the matter on a local level or requires additional guidance, he or she should contact MMG’s outside counsel. Contact information for these individuals is as follows: Andrew G. Tavel, Esq. at Greenberg Traurig, LLP, 212-801-9334 (for any entertainment industry-related matters) or Michael Koblenz, Esq. at Mound, Cotton, et al., 212-804-4200 (for any corporate, ethics, employment or other matters).
Reporting known or suspected violations is a sensitive issue. However, employees must recognize that COBE violations damage MMG by creating an unnecessary risk of criminal prosecution or of civil liability and by tarnishing MMG’s good reputation. This can have a profoundly adverse effect on the livelihood of all employees. Therefore, employees should report all questionable conduct or violations of COBE. Under no circumstances will any employee be subject to disciplinary or retaliatory action solely as a result of making a good faith report of a violation or potential violation. To the extent possible, MMG will preserve the confidentiality of communications regarding possible violations.
General Statement of Purpose
MMG is committed to fostering a workplace conducive to open communication regarding MMG’s business practices and to protecting employees from unlawful retaliation and discrimination for their having properly disclosed or reported illegal or unethical conduct. In an effort to further this commitment, this policy: (i) establishes guidance for the receipt, retention, and treatment of verbal or written reports received by MMG regarding accounting, internal controls, auditing matters, disclosure, fraud and unethical business practices, whether submitted by MMG employees or third parties («Reports»); (ii) establishes guidance for providing MMG employees a means to make Reports in a confidential and anonymous manner; and (iii) makes clear the MMG’s intention to discipline, up to and including termination of employment, any person determined to have engaged in retaliatory behavior.
Receipt
This policy and information regarding problem resolution resources shall be provided to MMG’s employees and made generally available through MMG’s website. MMG has designated MMG’s C. O. O., either of MMG’s outside counsel as noted herein, or the Chairman of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors to be the recipients of all the Reports filed under this policy, and has designated MMG’s C. O. O. to coordinate any necessary action.
Retention
Reports filed under this policy will be controlled and documented by MMG’s C. O. O., who shall maintain all related documentation for six years. All related documentation shall be maintained in secured files to which only the C. O. O., the Audit Committee members, and outside counsel shall have full access.
Treatment of Reports
All Reports will be taken seriously and addressed promptly, discreetly and professionally. Reports may be submitted anonymously or the person submitting the Report may request to remain anonymous. Should a person desire to remain anonymous, that desire will be respected. Discussions and documentation regarding reports will be kept in strict confidence to the extent appropriate or permitted by policy or law.
Should the person submitting the Report identify himself or herself, the recipient of the Report will communicate to the employee the steps to be taken to address the Report and the results of any MMG actions initiated. This confidential report process may be used either to submit a new Report, or to address an employee’s previous Report, which such employee does not feel was adequately resolved.
Retaliation
Retaliation against any employee that files a Report or voices a concern under this policy is strictly prohibited. Employees determined to have engaged in retaliatory behavior or who fail to maintain an employee’s anonymity if requested may be subject to discipline, which could include termination of employment. Any employee who feels that he or she has been subjected to any behavior that violates this policy should immediately report such behavior to MMG’s management, outside counsel or the Chairman of the Audit Committee. Please note however, that employees who knowingly file misleading or false reports, or without a reasonable belief as to truth or accuracy, will not be protected by this policy and may be subject to discipline, including termination of employment.
Audit Committee Review of Reports
A summary of reports received under this policy will be communicated to the Audit Committee on a quarterly basis (or a more frequent basis should conditions warrant more timely action).
Please note that while you are reviewing any information on this website, the information is posted as of the dates listed. The Company has no obligation to update the information in the e-mail alerts or otherwise from this website, which speak as of their respective dates.