Presentation

Correio Sabiá is an independent and impartial journalistic organization whose mission is to enable society to make better decisions through our fight against disinformation, the provision of reliable journalistic information, and the promotion of public debate.

This document aims to govern the behavior of collaborators and the company as a whole to achieve its mission with respect and harmony among the team and the reading public.

Immediately after the general guidelines, as the initial aspect to be addressed in this Code of Conduct, we include the fight against discrimination and harassment to establish our radical stance against such behaviors from the 1st version of this document.

In case of doubts, know that you can contact us whenever you deem necessary via email redacao@correiosabia.com.br. For more information, check our Editorial Policies.

General guidelines:

1. Common sense: All decisions and attitudes involving Correio Sabiá directly or indirectly must be guided by common sense, the information available at the time, what is best for Correio Sabiá's interests, and respect for the opinions of the other members of the organization. We will detail some topics below.
2. Feedback: Correio Sabiá seeks to implement a culture of constant feedback, both among team members and with readers, because it believes this is the proper way to improve.
3. Sincerity: Understanding that all relationships in the work environment (and outside it) must be guided by respect and trust, Correio Sabiá considers it relevant to emphasize the importance of a culture of sincerity in the organization. It is with sincerity that we can trust each other, improve relationships, and receive constructive feedback to provide more useful and effective services.
4. Horizontality: Correio Sabiá understands that a certain level of hierarchy is necessary for organizing tasks and establishing a proper workflow, but it also considers it important to establish a horizontal culture in some aspects, such as dialogue among all team members and feedback, for example. It is important that all members feel comfortable talking to each other, regardless of the role they perform.
5. Transparency: Correio Sabiá encourages respectful contact between members and the public as a way to make the journalistic production process clearer. We believe it is necessary to increase society's trust in the press as a whole. For this, it is important to adopt transparent and sincere behavior with the public. Correio Sabiá encourages its collaborators to talk with the public and, whenever respectfully questioned, to respond and clarify any doubts.

Fight against discrimination and harassment

Correio Sabiá has enshrined in the "Collaborators" section of its Editorial Policies, since the 1st edition of the document, that it does not tolerate any type of discrimination or harassment.

Even so, it is clear that any organization is subject to individual attitudes like this, even if it does not condone such practices. For this reason, it is worth clarifying in advance that:

• If there is any practice in this regard, it is an individual attitude – and not a behavior of the organization as a whole; in the case of an individual discriminatory attitude, the direction of Correio Sabiá must be immediately notified to take the appropriate measures;
• The individual who committed the action will be exemplary punished to prevent such episodes from happening again.

Preventively, Correio Sabiá clarifies that it avoids situations like this since:

• It promotes healthy integration among all members, following the principles of horizontality described earlier;
• It forms its team with diversity, preaching respect for differences; and
• Because they are guided to base their attitudes on common sense and what is best for Correio Sabiá, all collaborators are aware that they must anchor their actions in principles of civility.

Conflict of interests

Correio Sabiá believes that, in addition to being impartial, it is necessary to appear impartial.

1. Kinship relationships

Example: if a collaborator produces a report that directly or indirectly involves their personal interest (eventual family relationship with an interviewed politician), even if they manage to be professional and not mix the two sides, they will not appear impartial. This is a conflict of interests, in the view of this organization.

The correct approach in these situations is not to do the interview or suggest that a colleague do it.

2. Participation in companies

Example 2: the collaborator also cannot write about companies in which they hold shares or any type of participation. We consider this insider information. And the collaborator themselves, as an effect of their report, may receive economic benefits.

3. Gifts and trips

Collaborators cannot obtain personal benefits, financial or otherwise, because of their work. Cash rewards, trips, tickets to shows and events: all of this is considered a conflict of interests by Correio Sabiá.

Obviously, the collaborator can attend an event or show for free if it is of journalistic interest, with the purpose of working. What is prohibited in this topic is obtaining personal favors.

It is also logical, based on common sense, that low-value items, such as pens, notepads, and the like, do not fall under this item.

It is natural for reporters and editors, when invited to events and certain journalistic coverages or coffees with interviewees, to receive pens, for example. There is no conflict in this.

It is also natural for the journalistic organization to be invited by official agencies or private companies to visit their headquarters or even to take trips to cover a specific event. Clearly, in these cases, there are also no conflicts of interests.

Correio Sabiá makes the reservation that, in the cases mentioned above, the collaborator must state in their report which institution invited them on the professional trip. It is a matter of transparency with the audience.

Relationship with sources

In addition to respect, transparency, and all the other principles that must guide the relationships of Correio Sabiá collaborators, it is worth highlighting regarding the relationship with sources that:

• the relationship must be guided by integrity, transparency, and professionalism;
• the collaborator must be faithful to the account of the facts;
• if possible, record in audio or video the sources' statements, in order to preserve the relationship between the two when transcribing the statements perfectly (such practice avoids errors and wear);
• the collaborator cannot accept any personal advantage for publishing a certain report, whether in money or any other benefits (services, tickets, etc.).

Relationship with the reader

If Correio Sabiá's mission is “to enable society to make better decisions,” the relationship with the reader/listener must be at the center of this organization's attention. Without the public, there is no society or democracy.

That is why Correio Sabiá encourages direct contact, provided it is guided by mutual respect, between its collaborators and readers. We believe that journalism should be done interactively between these two parties, strengthening the relationship and increasing trust.

The reader can, whenever they deem necessary (criticism, praise, suggestions, etc.), contact us via email redacao@correiosabia.com.br. We will respond as soon as possible.

Other conducts

1. Political manifestations:

Correio Sabiá does not take responsibility for or endorse the political positions of its collaborators.

Correio Sabiá believes that collaborators, especially those with functions to produce reports, should refrain from expressing political opinions.

Specifically regarding the professional sphere (during the exercise of collaboration with Correio Sabiá), any manifestation of this type is completely prohibited. This is because Correio Sabiá obstinately pursues journalistic impartiality and objectivity.

In the private sphere, Correio Sabiá understands that monitoring the behavior of its collaborators exceeds its competencies, as they have freedom to say what they think.

However, based on each person's common sense, Correio Sabiá advises avoiding behaviors that may question the collaborator's journalistic credibility and, consequently, that of this organization.

Correio Sabiá also reminds its collaborators that they must be the most interested in being seen by the public as figures of credibility and impartiality. Therefore, they must safeguard their own reputations.

Likewise, collaborators must also safeguard Correio Sabiá's reputation, sparing it embarrassments from passionate political manifestations that in no way reflect the opinions and stances of this non-partisan organization.

2. Internet and social media use

Considering that many political manifestations or positions occur on the internet, more specifically on social media, Correio Sabiá opens this topic to guide its collaborators to focus on being informative, not opinionated, when using social networks.

It is worth remembering that, in this case as well, Correio Sabiá understands that its collaborators' social media accounts are their private domains. Therefore, Correio Sabiá understands that it has no right to interfere in anything its collaborators do.

However, Correio Sabiá clearly advises what it considers the most appropriate stance and reinforces that it does not take responsibility for or endorse any position.

All manifestations of Correio Sabiá as an organization are made through editorials or its director.

Final considerations

With this Code of Conduct, Correio Sabiá hopes to guide the internal and external relationships of this journalistic organization, so that we achieve our mission of enabling society to make better decisions through the provision of reliable information and the promotion of public debate.

This material will be updated whenever necessary, with the update date indicated in this same document, for transparency reasons, in accordance with our Editorial Policies.

The space is (and always will be) open to improvement suggestions via email redacao@correiosabia.com.br.