Conduct
GUIDEWIRE SOFTWARE, INC.
CODE OF BUSINESS CONDUCT AND ETHICS
AMENDED AND RESTATED DECEMBER 14, 2023
Introduction
This Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (“Code”) of Guidewire Software, Inc. (the “Company”) covers a wide range of business practices and procedures. It does not cover every issue that may arise, but it sets out basic principles to guide all employees of the Company. All of our employees must conduct themselves accordingly and seek to avoid even the appearance of improper behavior. The Code should also be made available to and followed by the Company’s agents and representatives, including consultants.
If a law conflicts with a policy in this Code, you must comply with the law. If you have any questions about these conflicts, you should ask your supervisor how to handle the situation. This Code will be reviewed on an annual basis by our legal, internal audit and global people teams, and may be further amended, revised or otherwise changed.
Those who violate the standards in this Code will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. If you are in a situation which you believe may violate or lead to a violation of this Code, follow the guidelines described in Section 14 of this Code.
1. Compliance with Laws, Rules and Regulations
Obeying the law, both in letter and in spirit, is the foundation on which this Company’s ethical standards are built. All employees must respect and obey the laws of the cities, states and countries in which we operate. Although not all employees are expected to know the details of these laws, it is important to know enough to determine when to seek advice from supervisors, managers, or other appropriate
personnel.
If requested by an employee, the Company will hold information and training sessions to promote compliance with laws, rules, and regulations, including insider-trading laws.
2. Conflicts of Interest
A “conflict of interest” exists when a person’s private interest interferes in any way with the interests of the Company. A conflict situation can arise when an employee, officer, or director takes actions or has interests that may make it difficult to perform his or her Company work objectively and effectively. Conflicts of interest may also arise when an employee, officer, or director, or members of his or her family,
receives improper personal benefits because of his or her position in the Company. Loans to, or guarantees of obligations of, employees and their family members may create conflicts of interest.
It is almost always a conflict of interest for a Company employee to work simultaneously for a competitor, customer, or supplier of the Company. You are not allowed to work for a competitor as a consultant or board member. The best policy is to avoid any direct or indirect business connection with our customers, suppliers, or competitors, except on our behalf and in an authorized fashion. Conflicts of interest
are prohibited as a matter of Company policy, except under guidelines approved by the Board of Directors. Conflicts of interest may not always be clear-cut, so if you have a question, you should consult with higher levels of management, or the Company’s Legal Department. Any employee, officer, or director who becomes aware of a conflict or potential conflict should bring it to the attention of their supervisor, manager, or other appropriate personnel, or consult the procedures described in Section 14 of this Code.
3. Insider Trading
Employees who have access to confidential information are not permitted to use or share that information for stock trading purposes or for any other purpose except the conduct of our business. All non-public information about the Company should be considered confidential information. To use nonpublic information for personal financial benefit or to “tip” others who might make an investment decision based on this information is not only unethical, but also illegal. To assist with compliance with laws against insider trading, the Company has adopted a specific policy, the Insider Trading Policy and Guidelines with Respect to Certain Transactions in Securities, governing employees’ trading in securities of the Company. This policy has been distributed to every employee and is always available to employees on the CompanyWide Policies page on G.net (or the Company’s current intranet system). If you have any questions, please consult the Company’s Legal Department.
4. Corporate Opportunities
Employees, officers, and directors are prohibited from taking for themselves, personally, opportunities that are discovered using corporate property, information, or position, without the consent of the Board of Directors. No employee may use corporate property, information, or position, for improper personal gain, and no employee may compete with the Company directly or indirectly. Employees, officers, and directors owe a duty to the Company to advance its legitimate interests when the opportunity to do so arises.
5. Competition and Fair Dealing
We seek to outperform our competition fairly and honestly. Stealing proprietary information, possessing trade secret information that was obtained without the owner’s consent, or inducing such disclosures by past or present employees of other companies, is prohibited. Each employee should endeavor to respect the rights of and deal fairly with the Company’s customers, suppliers, competitors, and employees. No employee should take unfair advantage of anyone through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation of material facts, or any other intentional unfair-dealing practice.
The purpose of business entertainment and gifts in a commercial setting is to create good will and sound working relationships, not to gain unfair advantage with customers. No gift or entertainment should ever be offered, given, provided, or accepted by any Company employee, family member of an employee, or agent unless it: (1) is not a cash gift, (2) is consistent with customary business practices, (3) is not excessive in value, (4) cannot be construed as a bribe or payoff, and (5) does not violate any laws or regulations. Please discuss with your supervisor any gifts or proposed gifts which you are not certain are appropriate.
6. Promoting a Positive Work Environment
The Company is committed to creating a supportive work environment and each employee is expected to create a respectful workplace culture that is free of harassment, intimidation, bias, and unlawful discrimination. The Company is an equal opportunity employer and employment is based solely on individual merit and qualifications directly related to professional competence. The Company strictly
prohibits discrimination or harassment of any kind based on race, color, religion, veteran status, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, mental or physical disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, or any other characteristics protected by law.
7. Health and Safety
The Company strives to provide each employee with a safe and healthy work environment. Each employee has responsibility for maintaining a safe and healthy workplace for all employees by following local laws and regulations concerning health and safety, whether related to occupational health and safety or resulting from a pandemic and complying with Company’s safety and health rules and practices, and reporting accidents, injuries, unsafe equipment, practices, or conditions.
Violence and threatening behavior are not permitted. Employees should report to work in condition to perform their duties, free from the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol. The use of illegal drugs in the workplace will not be tolerated.
8. Record-Keeping
The Company requires honest and accurate recording and reporting of information to make responsible business decisions. For example, only the true and actual number of hours worked should be reported.
Many employees regularly use business expense accounts, which must be documented and recorded accurately. If you are not sure whether a certain expense is legitimate, ask your supervisor or your controller.
All of the Company’s books, records, accounts and financial statements must be maintained in reasonable detail, must appropriately reflect the Company’s transactions, and must conform both to applicable legal requirements and to the Company’s system of internal controls. Unrecorded or “off the books” funds or assets should not be maintained unless permitted by applicable law or regulation.
Business records and communications often become public, and we should avoid exaggeration, derogatory remarks, guesswork, or inappropriate characterizations of people and companies that can be misunderstood. This applies equally to e-mail, internal memos, and formal reports. Records should always be retained or destroyed according to the Company’s Data Retention Policy, which has been established to ensure uniform procedures and timetables for the retention, storage, retrieval, and disposal of data. In accordance with applicable policies, in the event of litigation or governmental investigation, please consult the Company’s Legal Department.
9. Confidentiality
Employees must maintain the confidentiality of confidential information entrusted to them by the Company or its customers, except when disclosure is authorized by the Legal Department or otherwise required by laws or regulations. Confidential information includes all non-public information that might be of use to competitors, or harmful to the Company or its customers, if disclosed. It also includes information that suppliers and customers have entrusted to us. The obligation to preserve confidential information continues even after employment ends. In connection with this obligation, every employee should have executed a confidentiality agreement when he or she began his or her employment with the Company. Notwithstanding anything in this Code to the contrary, nothing in this Code shall prevent you from communicating directly with relevant government authorities about potential violations of law, without first notifying the Company.
10. Protection and Proper Use of Company Assets
All employees should endeavor to protect the Company’s assets and ensure their efficient use. Theft, carelessness, and waste have a direct impact on the Company’s profitability. Any suspected incident of fraud or theft should be immediately reported for investigation. Company equipment should not be used for non-Company business, though incidental personal use may be permitted.
The obligation of employees to protect the Company’s assets includes its proprietary information. Proprietary information includes intellectual property, such as trade secrets, patents, trademarks, and copyrights, as well as business, marketing and service plans, engineering and manufacturing ideas, designs, databases, records, salary information, and any unpublished financial data and reports. Unauthorized use or distribution of this information would violate Company policy. Unauthorized use could also be illegal and result in civil or even criminal penalties.
11. Payments to Government Personnel
The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 and the U.K. Bribery Act of 2010, as well as local anti-bribery laws of all countries in which the Company operates, prohibit giving anything of value, directly or indirectly, to officials of foreign governments or foreign political candidates to obtain or retain business. It is strictly prohibited to make illegal payments to government officials of any country.
In addition, the U.S. government has laws and regulations regarding business gratuities which may be accepted by U.S. government personnel. The promise, offer, or delivery to an official or employee of the U.S. government of a gift, favor, or other gratuity in violation of these rules, would not only violate Company policy, but could also be a criminal offense. State and local governments, as well as foreign
governments, may have similar rules. The Company has adopted a specific policy addressing compliance with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 and the U.K. Bribery Act of 2010, and other applicable anti-bribery laws of all countries in which the Company operates. The Company’s Legal Department can provide guidance to you in this area.
12. Waivers of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
Any waiver of this Code for executive officers or directors may be made only by the Board or a Board committee and will be promptly disclosed, along with the reasons for the waiver, as required by law or stock exchange regulation.
13. Reporting any Illegal or Unethical Behavior
Employees are encouraged to talk to supervisors, managers, or other appropriate personnel about observed illegal or unethical behavior and when in doubt about the best course of action in a particular situation. It is the policy of the Company not to allow retaliation for reports of misconduct by others made in good faith by employees.
Employees are expected to cooperate in internal investigations of misconduct. Employees must read the Company’s Complaint Procedures for Accounting and Auditing Matters (“CPAAM”), which describes the Company’s procedures for the receipt, retention, and treatment of complaints received by the Company regarding accounting, internal accounting controls, or auditing matters. Any employee may submit a good faith concern regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters without fear of dismissal or retaliation of any kind. As noted in the CPAAM, the Company maintains, through a third-party vendor, a confidential and anonymous Financial Concern Hotline, about which more information can be found at the following website:
https://www.whistleblowerservices.com/gwre
Messages to the Audit Committee through this anonymous, confidential website may be made using either of these methods:
A) Secure Web Form – individuals may leave messages through an Internet-based message interface, accessible through the website noted above, that will deliver an encrypted message
B) Voicemail – individuals can leave a voicemail message. All voicemail messages will be electronically altered/disguised to ensure the confidentiality of identity.
14. Compliance Procedures
We must all work to ensure prompt and consistent action against violations of this Code. However, in some situations it is difficult to know if a violation has occurred. Since we cannot anticipate every situation that will arise, it is important that we have a way to approach a new question or problem. These are the steps to keep in mind:
- Make sure you have all the facts. To reach the right solutions, we must be as fully informed as possible.
- Ask yourself: What specifically am I being asked to do? Does it seem unethical or improper? This will enable you to focus on the specific question you are faced with, and the alternatives you have. Use your judgment and common sense; if something seems unethical or improper, it probably is..
- Clarify your responsibility and role. In most situations, there is shared responsibility. Are your colleagues informed? It may help to get others involved and discuss the problem.
- Discuss the problem with your supervisor. This is the basic guidance for all situations. In many cases, your supervisor will be more knowledgeable about the question, and will appreciate being brought into the decision-making process. Remember that it is your supervisor’s responsibility to help solve problems.
- Seek help from Company resources. In the rare case where it may not be appropriate to discuss an issue with your supervisor, or where you do not feel comfortable approaching your supervisor with your question, discuss it locally with your office manager or your Human Resources manager.
- You may report ethical violations in confidence and without fear of retaliation. If your situation requires that your identity be kept secret, your anonymity will be protected to the extent reasonably possible. The Company does not permit retaliation of any kind against employees for good faith reports of ethical violations.
- Always ask first, act later. If you are unsure of what to do in any situation, seek guidance before you act.
CODE OF ETHICS FOR CEO AND SENIOR FINANCIAL OFFICERS
The Company has a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics applicable to all directors and employees of the Company. The CEO and all senior financial officers, including the CFO and principal accounting officer, are bound by the provisions set forth therein relating to ethical conduct, conflicts of interest, and compliance with law. In addition to the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, the CEO and senior financial officers are subject to the following additional specific policies:
- The CEO and all senior financial officers are responsible for full, fair, accurate, timely, and understandable disclosure in the periodic reports required to be filed by the Company with the SEC. 6 Accordingly, it is the responsibility of the CEO and each senior financial officer promptly to bring to the attention of the Disclosure Committee any material information of which he or she may become aware that affects the disclosures made by the Company in its public filings or otherwise assist the Disclosure Committee in fulfilling its responsibilities.
- The CEO and each senior financial officer shall promptly bring to the attention of the Disclosure Committee and the Audit Committee any information he or she may have concerning (a) significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls which could adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data or (b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s
financial reporting, disclosures or internal controls. - The CEO and each senior financial officer shall promptly bring to the attention of the General Counsel or the CEO and to the Audit Committee any information he or she may have concerning any violation of the Company’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, including any actual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and professional relationships, involving any management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s financial reporting, disclosures or internal
controls. - The CEO and each senior financial officer shall promptly bring to the attention of the General Counsel or the CEO and to the Audit Committee any information he or she may have concerning evidence of a material violation of the securities or other laws, rules or regulations applicable to the Company and the operation of its business, by the Company or any agent thereof, or of violation of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics or of these additional procedures.
- The Board of Directors shall determine, or designate appropriate persons to determine, appropriate actions to be taken in the event of violations of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics or of these additional procedures by the CEO and the Company’s senior financial officers. Such actions shall be reasonably designed to deter wrongdoing and to promote accountability for adherence to the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and to these additional procedures, and shall include written notices to the individual involved that the Board has determined that there has been a violation, censure by the Board, demotion or re-assignment of the individual involved, suspension with or without pay or benefits (as determined by the Board) and termination of the individual’s employment.
In determining what action is appropriate in a particular case, the Board of Directors or such designee shall take into account all relevant information, including the nature and severity of the violation, whether the violation was a single occurrence or repeated occurrences, whether the violation appears to have been intentional or inadvertent, whether the individual in question had been advised prior to the
violation as to the proper course of action and whether or not the individual in question had committed other violations in the past.
