For urgent situations, contact People & Culture or Legal. Community members should contact someone from the community team. Violations can also be reported anonymously at atolye.io/speakup.
Policy number PC004-EN-22 · Owner People & Culture · Effective 27 June 2022 · Last revised 27 June 2022
This Code of Ethics is the guarantee of the responsibility we bear towards one another when it comes to unethical and unlawful behaviour. At ATÖLYE we look out for one another, and we foster the mechanisms and the safe and brave spaces that let everyone express themselves. It applies to team members, community members, partners, vendors, collaborators and clients.
We all want to work — and live — in safe environments: places, physical and digital, that make us feel we belong and that we are not being discriminated against.
We also want to be together in brave spaces. Spaces that let us feel confident enough to voice our opinions, to be ourselves, to challenge our leaders without fear, to call out immoral behaviour, and to know that when unwanted incidents occur there is a system in place to protect anyone who has been discriminated against.
The Code is a compilation of core principles formed around ATÖLYE's values. It guides team members on ethical work-related decision-making and conduct, and on ethical business with partner organisations, clients and third parties. It also guides community members, partners, vendors, collaborators and clients on the conduct that aligns with ATÖLYE's values.
It focuses particularly on areas with a higher potential for unethical, unlawful or illegal behaviour to emerge, and aims to support ethical sensitivity in decision-making across everyone ATÖLYE works with.
Where you feel uncertain, Legal and People & Culture are the primary resources responsible for answering your questions as quickly and clearly as possible. The Code was drafted by the ATÖLYE Integrity Circle. Contact those teams with feedback on it.
Ethics and equity and the principles of justice do not change with the calendar. — D.H. Lawrence
ATÖLYE's approach to values can be summed up as Child, Adult, and Community Member. All team members, community members, partners, vendors and collaborators are expected to internalise and adopt these.
Trustworthiness, honesty, transparency, non-violence and communication through listening are important elements of professional life. Expectations for communication are detailed in the Social Contract.
In keeping with the core principle of equality within universal values, the framework of laws and regulations, and the progressive perspective of ATÖLYE's values, ATÖLYE pledges to treat all team members, community members, partners, vendors, collaborators and clients fairly and without discrimination, and not to hold employees to different standards — particularly when entering into a contract of employment and determining salary and working conditions.
The ultimate objective of ATÖLYE's core values is a work environment where everyone under its roof can feel safe, and where people interact with understanding and empathy within a framework of respect.
To that end, any conduct that disturbs an individual or causes psychological or physical discomfort by violating that individual's bodily autonomy is considered harassment at ATÖLYE, whether or not it violates bodily integrity.
ATÖLYE adopts a zero-tolerance policy and a fair, clear stance against any case of harassment that may occur in the workplace, and is responsible for taking a stand against and enforcing ramifications for harassment of anyone under its roof by anyone else they encounter through their work.
ATÖLYE declares and commits that it will not directly or indirectly discriminate against any individual it interacts with, from the inception of the relationship, on the basis of language, race, colour, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, parenthood, childcare, age, health condition, disability, political views, philosophical beliefs, religion, sect, or any similar reason. ATÖLYE expects the same commitment from everyone it works with.
We strictly prohibit any form of child labour, forced labour or compulsory labour.
All direct or indirect political contributions, charitable donations and sponsorships made on behalf of the organisation must undergo formal oversight:
Nobody may use an ATÖLYE asset or resource for any purpose other than their relationship to ATÖLYE, or for personal gain or illegal activity. Proper use also means proper management of time: team members should use working hours wisely and not devote an unreasonable amount of time to personal affairs at work.
When choosing clients, vendors, partners and collaborators, decide with special consideration of whether they operate in compliance with laws and regulations, look after their employees' rights, and adhere to social, environmental and economic principles as well as to this Code and ATÖLYE's values. Decisions must not be based on personal gain or any ulterior motive, and everyone must be treated within a framework of respect, dignity, fairness, equality and courtesy.
A conflict of interest arises when someone has an interest that clashes with ATÖLYE's.
Where there is a perceived potential conflict, contact Legal without delay to explain the situation and ask for feedback. Where you witness a conflict of interest, contact Legal and request that an incident report be filed; Legal will review and draft a report.
Specific situations where a conflict may arise:
Retaining receipts and invoices for gifts and hospitality is acceptable commercial practice so long as it is done fairly and ethically. Done unethically, it falls within the scope of bribery. ATÖLYE is not against a reasonable level of gifting and hospitality, and this policy does not recommend preventing or ending it. But:
ATÖLYE adopts a zero-tolerance policy on bribery and corruption, complies with existing legislation, and takes an ethical and fair approach across all commercial operations, activities and relations.
This commitment is affirmed by the ATÖLYE Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Application document, which you sign at the start of your employment. If you encounter or are uncertain about a situation you believe may violate these rules, you can always report it anonymously through the Speak-Up line.
In communicating with the public, ATÖLYE provides accurate, consistent and clear information.
Before making any public statement on behalf of ATÖLYE — interviews, statements to the media, announcements, seminar or conference presentations — notify the Communications team in writing. Communications must be consulted on the content of any text before it is shared publicly.
When sharing opinions in a public forum where your views risk negatively affecting ATÖLYE's reputation, state clearly that these are your personal views and do not involve ATÖLYE.
In all circumstances and all public places, refrain from behaviour or statements that constitute insult, threat, public provocation to hatred and hostility, defamation, or other hate speech and discriminatory speech under the criminal regulations of that jurisdiction. Even where there may be no legal investigation, ATÖLYE has the right to enforce its warning procedure for such behaviour.
Be mindful of whether the social, political or economic non-governmental organisations you belong to comply with universal laws and ethical values.
Do not share images, documents or text on personal social media accounts that pertain to ATÖLYE's operations and constitute proprietary knowledge or a trade secret.
Obligations of privacy and confidentiality are an important part of the obligations of loyalty and care towards ATÖLYE. As an integral part of the job, team members encounter information and documents about ATÖLYE, its partners, vendors, collaborators and clients. That information is a competitive advantage and is subject to privacy obligations within third-party relations.
Team members must not share any non-public information about their activities at ATÖLYE with any third party unaffiliated with ATÖLYE. Obligations are defined in the employment contract, and failure to comply results in the Case Follow-Up and Discipline Procedure being implemented.
ATÖLYE keeps private the documents, processes and intellectual property of its community members, partners, vendors, collaborators and clients, sharing only with those who must know — and expects the same consideration in return.
ATÖLYE retains intellectual and industrial property rights, ownership and authority to use all works and designs produced by team members under its auspices and based on its experience and activities.
To share work produced at ATÖLYE on a personal platform — portfolio, website, personal social media — inform Legal in writing and receive prior approval.
Inventions made under ATÖLYE's auspices are service inventions. On producing one, inform your coach and Legal in writing without delay. During patent and utility model applications, both the team member and ATÖLYE must fulfil the collaboration provisions under Industrial Property Law.
Team members have access to many types of information about ATÖLYE and its stakeholders — trade secrets, know-how, intellectual and industrial property rights, strategies, technologies and other valuable information that must be protected. It is vital that this information, shared under a work relationship based on mutual trust, is not used with ulterior motives or for personal gain.
For the duration of the work relationship, the team member commits not to work for any competing business operating in the same sector or a similar line of work; not to form partnerships with, assist in administration, management, inspection or operation of, or offer consultancy or training services to third parties towards that end.
Team members must not accept assignments from, collaborate with, or make an offer to any ATÖLYE stakeholder — including clients — or to any other clients found by the team member, regarding any of ATÖLYE's activities, without ATÖLYE's knowledge. Contact Legal with questions.
Failure to comply will result in the necessary steps to terminate the work relationship and immediately end the conduct in question.
All team members have obligations under data protection law (GDPR). Recognising that data protection fundamentally seeks to protect individuals from harm arising from the processing of their personal data, and that it supports basic rights and freedoms, ATÖLYE is committed to universal standards in the collection, storage and processing of personal data. GDPR works essentially the same across the globe. Be respectful of people's right to be contacted or not, and read the privacy policy terms.
A system for reporting any behaviour among team members, community members, partners, vendors, collaborators and clients that violates ATÖLYE's values, behavioural obligations or legal obligations. It is also used to obtain anonymous feedback about ATÖLYE from third parties.
Through this policy ATÖLYE commits to being resolute in resolving disagreements. In response to that commitment, report any violation you witness at atolye.io/speakup so it is addressed and resolved.
Without prejudice to your right to seek legal recourse, ATÖLYE will treat privacy as sensitively as possible and investigate complaints as fairly and quickly as it can. Based on its assessment, ATÖLYE may implement the Case Follow-Up and Discipline Procedure.
ATÖLYE guarantees not to retaliate against anyone who reports a violation in good faith, and guarantees that no individual or enterprise will do so either. Retaliation specifically includes terminating or suspending an employment contract, or making decisions that negatively impact a career.
Team members are prohibited from trying to prevent a colleague who is preparing to report a violation, and from retaliatory behaviour after a report is made. Anyone who retaliates will be subject to the Case Follow-Up and Discipline Procedure.
If, following investigation, a reporter is found to have made a false statement, the warning procedure will be implemented. The Integrity Circle assesses whether a reporter acted in good faith, consulting independent observers or subject experts where necessary.
Migration note. Carried from Notion on 17 September 2026. Six defects in the source, fixed or flagged:
- Contradiction. The header said the Speak-Up Line was "in the process of being created", while a later section documents it as live at atolye.io/speakup. The header has been corrected to point at the live line. Confirm it is live.
- Duplicated section. Occupational Health and Safety appeared twice, both times truncated mid-sentence at "All team members are required to". Neither copy had content, so the section is omitted here. It needs writing.
- Typo in a legal sentence. "ATÖLYE will have the right to fce its warning procedure" — read as "enforce" and corrected.
- Turkish label in an EN policy. The properties block carried "Son Güncelleme" alongside "Last Revised", both 27 June 2022. Consolidated.
- Three documents marked Work in Progress since 2022: the Privacy Policy, the Approach to Competition Policy, and a note to update the anti-bribery appendix with new versions. Four years is not in progress.
- Effective 2022, never revised. The source notes a second iteration would cover community members, clients, partners, vendors and collaborators more thoroughly. That iteration does not appear to exist.
Linked Google Docs — Social Contract, anti-bribery appendices, values deck — were left as references rather than links, because the Notion links point into Drive and should be checked before being republished.
content/policies/code-of-ethics.md. Change the content and bump reviewed in the same commit — that is the whole review process. Migrated from Notion: source page.