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Complaint Procedures for Accounting, Internal Accounting Controls and Auditing MattersIn order to facilitate the reporting and handling of complaints and concerns (collectively, "complaints") regarding Accounting Matters, the TI Audit Committee has established the following procedures for:
Employees. Employees may submit complaints regarding Accounting Matters on a confidential, anonymous basis through the e-mail reporting service for Accounting Matters on TI's intranet available to TI employees worldwide via the TI Ethics Office. Employees may also submit complaints as follows:
Treatment of Complaints The treatment of all complaints will be subject to the oversight of the Audit Committee. Should the Ethics Office receive a complaint on an Accounting Matter (as indicated in the complaint itself or as determined by the Ethics Director), the Ethics Director will promptly forward such complaint to TI's General Counsel. Because a complaint may not seem on its face to relate to an Accounting Matter, from time to time and at least monthly, the Director of Internal Audits will review all complaints received by the Ethics Office from employees via the telephone or e-mail reporting service. Any complaints identified in this manner as relating to Accounting Matters will be promptly forwarded to the General Counsel. Upon receipt of a complaint regarding an Accounting Matter, the General Counsel will report the complaint to the Audit Committee or its Chair at the Committee's next meeting (or sooner if the General Counsel believes the complaint requires the Committee's immediate attention) and will send a copy to the Director of Internal Audits. Unless otherwise instructed by the Audit Committee or its Chair, the General Counsel will review the complaint and determine a recommended course of action, which may include an investigation conducted with the involvement of the Director of Internal Audit, the Chief Financial Officer, outside counsel, and such other persons as the General Counsel deems appropriate, and will report to the Committee his recommendation. Any investigation resulting from a complaint regarding an Accounting Matter will be conducted under the direction of the General Counsel, subject to the Audit Committee's oversight, except if, in the judgment of the Audit Committee or the General Counsel, such investigation should be conducted under the direction of the Committee. At each regularly scheduled meeting of the Audit Committee and at such other times as is warranted, the status of the Company's response to each complaint will be reviewed with the Committee or its Chair. Prompt and appropriate corrective action will be taken in response to all complaints as warranted in the judgment of management, subject to the oversight of the Audit Committee. Confidentiality will be maintained to the extent reasonably possible throughout the course of all such investigations. TI will not terminate, demote, suspend, threaten, harass, or in any manner discriminate or retaliate against any employee in the terms and conditions of employment based upon any lawful actions of such employee with respect to good faith reporting of complaints regarding Accounting Matters, nor take any other action prohibited by Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Retention of Complaints The General Counsel will maintain a log of all complaints relating to Accounting Matters. The log will note the receipt, investigation, and resolution of each complaint. Copies of the complaints will be retained for five years following the termination of the course of action taken in response thereto, and the log for each calendar year will be retained for 10 years, unless a longer retention period is required under TI's record retention policy. Approved by the Audit Committee: April 14, 2004 |
