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Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and
Compliance Program
Adopted by the Board of Directors
October 10, 2005
The upholding of a strong sense of ethics and integrity is
of the highest importance to Implant Science Corporation (the
Company) and critical to its success in the business
environment. The Companys Code of Business Conduct and
Ethics and Compliance Program (the Code of Ethics)
embodies the Companys commitment to such ethical principles
and sets forth the responsibilities of the Company to its
shareholders, employees, customers, lenders and other stakeholders.
The Companys Code of Ethics addresses general business
ethical principles, conflicts of interests, special ethical
obligations for employees with financial reporting responsibilities,
insider trading laws,reporting of any unlawful or unethical
conduct, political contributions and other relevant
issues.
General Principles
It is the Companys firm belief that effective business
relationships can only be built on mutual trust and fair dealing.
The Company and all its directors, officers and employees,
to whom the Companys Code of Ethics is applicable, will
conduct themselves in accordance with the standards established
herein.
The Companys Code of Ethics outlines the fundamental
principles of legal and ethical business conduct as adopted
by the Board of Directors of the Company. It is not intended
to be a comprehensive list addressing all legal or ethical
issues which may confront the
Companys personnel. Hence, it is essential that all
personnel subject to the Companys Code of Ethics employ
good judgment in the application of the principles contained
herein.
Conflicts of Interest
Directors, officers and employees of the Company are expected
to make decisions and take actions based on the best interests
of the Company, as a whole, and not based on personal relationships
or other professional relationships of or benefits to individuals.
Generally, a conflict of interest is an activity
that it inconsistent with or opposed to the best interest
of the Company or one which gives the appearance of impropriety.
As conflicts of interest can compromise the ethical behavior
of Company personnel, they should be avoided.
Employees should avoid any relationship which would create
a conflict of interest. Employees are expected to disclose
such relationships and conflicts to their immediate supervisors.
Conflicts of interest involving those with whom the Company
does business should also be disclosed in writing to such
third parties. Any waivers of conflicts of interest must be
approved by the Board of Directors or an appropriate committee.
Members of the Board of Directors are to disclose any conflicts
of interest and potential conflicts of interest to the entire
Board of Directors as well as the committees on which they
serve. Directors are to excuse themselves from participation
in any decision of the Board or a committee thereof in any
matter in which there is a conflict of interest or potential
conflict of interest.
Set forth below is specific guidance in respect to certain
conflicts of interest situations. As it is not possible to
list all conflicts of interest situations, it is the responsibility
of the individual, ultimately, to avoid and properly address
any situation involving a conflict of interest or potential
conflict of interest. Company personnel who wish to obtain
clarification of the Companys conflicts of interest
principles or further guidance with respect to the proper
handling of any specific situation should consult his or her
immediate supervisor, the Companys legal department
or the Companys outside legal counsel.
Interest in Other Businesses: All Companys directors,
officers and employees and their family members must avoid
any direct or indirect financial relationship with third parties
with whom the Company has relationships which would involve
a conflict of interest or a potential conflict of interest
or compromise the individuals loyalty to the Company.
Written permission must be obtained from the Companys
legal department before any
such individual commences an employment, business or consulting
relationship with third parties with whom the Company has
relationships.
Outside Directorships: All Companys directors, officers
and employees may serve on the boards of directors of other
profit-making organizations only if written permission is
obtained from the Companys legal department prior to
acceptance thereof. Any outside directorships held at the
time of adoption of this Code of Ethics by the Company must
be disclosed to the legal department which will make a determination
as to whether such outside directorships may be continued.
No Companys officers and employees may serve on the
boards of directors of any business organization which is
a competitor of the Company.
Individuals who serve as directors of other companies with
the written permission of the Company may retain any compensation
earned from that outside directorship to the extent permitted
under applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and
Exchange Commission, the American Stock Exchange and other
regulatory bodies or unless otherwise specifically prohibited
by the Company. Unless otherwise specifically authorized,
individuals may not receive any form of compensation (whether
in the form of cash, stock or options) for service on a board
of director of another business organization if such service
is at the request of the Company or in connection with the
investment of the Company in such business organization. All
individuals must excuse themselves from any matters pertaining
to the Company and the business organization of which they
are directors.
The Company reserves the right to request any individual
to resign their positions as directors of other business organizations
if determined to be in the best interests of the Company notwithstanding
that prior approvals for such service had previously been
given. The Company may terminate its relationship with any
individual who does not comply with the Companys request
in this regard.
Proper Payments: All individuals should pay for and receive
only that which is proper. Company personnel should not make
improper payments for the purposes of influencing anothers
acts or decisions and should not receive any improper payments
or gifts from others for the purposes influencing the decisions
or actions of Companys personnel. No individual should
give gifts beyond those extended in the context of normal
business circumstances. Company personnel must observe all
government restrictions on gifts and entertainment.
Supervisory Relationships: Supervisory relationships with
family members present special workplace issues. Accordingly,
Company personnel must avoid a direct reporting relationship
with a family member or any individual with whom a significant
relationship exists. If such a relationship exists or occurs,
the individuals involved must report the relationship in writing
to the Board of Directors.
Financial Reporting Responsibilities
As a public company, it is of critical importance that the
Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
the American Stock Exchange and other relevant regulatory
authorities and its public communication be accurate and timely.
Hence, all Company personnel are obligated to provide information
to ensure that the Companys publicly filed documents
and public communications is complete and accurate. All
Company personnel must take this responsibility seriously
and provide prompt and accurate answers and responses to inquiries
related to the Companys public disclosure requirements.
The Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer
of the Company have the ultimate responsibilities of ensuring
the integrity of the filings and disclosure made by the Company
as required by the rules and regulations of the Securities
and Exchange Commission, the American Stock Exchange and other
relevant regulatory authorities and the public communications
made by the Company. In the performance of their duties relating
to the Companys public disclosure obligations, the Chief
Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer and all Company
personnel must:
- Act with honesty and integrity
- Provide information that is accurate, complete,
objective, fair and timely
- Comply with rules and regulations of federal,
state and local governments and
other relevant public and private regulatory authorities
- Act in good faith with due care, competence
and due diligence
- Respect the confidentiality of information
acquired in the course of the
performance of ones duties
- Promote ethical and proper behavior in
the work environment
- Report to the Chairman of the Audit Committee
any conduct that the individual
believes to be a violation of any law, regulation, or the
Companys Code of
Ethics.
Insider Trading
It is the policy of the Company to prohibit the unauthorized
disclosure of any nonpublic information acquired in the workplace
and the misuse of material nonpublic information in securities
trading. It is not possible to define all categories of material
information. However, information should be regarded as material
if there is a reasonable likelihood that it would be considered
important to an investor in making an investment decision
regarding the purchase or sale of the Companys securities.
Nonpublic information is information that has not been previously
disclosed to the general public and is otherwise
not available to the general public. While it may be difficult
to determine whether particular information is material, there
are various categories of information that are particularly
sensitive and, as a general rule, should always be considered
material. In addition, material information may be positive
or negative. Examples of such information may include:
- Financial results
- Projections of future earnings
or losses
- Major contract awards,
cancellations or write-offs
- Joint ventures with
third parties
- Research milestones
- News of a pending
or proposed merger or acquisition
- News of the disposition
of material assets
- Impending bankruptcy
or financial liquidity problems
- Gain or loss of
a substantial customer or supplier
- New product announcements
of a significant nature
- Significant pricing
changes
- Stock splits
- New equity or debt
offerings
- Significant litigation
exposure due to actual or threatened litigation
- Changes in senior
management
- Capital investment
plans
- Changes in dividend
policy
Trading on Material Nonpublic Information:
With certain limited exceptions, no officer or director of
the Company, no employee of the Company or its subsidiaries
and no consultant or contractor to the Company or any of its
subsidiaries and no members of the immediate family or household
of any such person, shall engage in any transaction involving
a purchase or sale of the Companys securities, including
any offer to purchase or offer to sell, during any period
commencing with the date that he or she possesses material
nonpublic information concerning the Company, and ending at
the close of business on the second trading day following
the date of public disclosure of that information, or at such
time as such nonpublic information is no longer material.
The term trading day shall mean a day on which
national stock exchanges and the NASDAQ National Market are
open for trading.
Tipping: No insider shall disclose (tip) material
nonpublic information to any other person (including family
members) where such information may be used by such person
to his or her profit by trading in the securities of companies
to which such information relates, nor shall such insider
or related person make recommendations or express opinions
on the basis of material nonpublic information as to trading
in the Companys securities.
Regulation FD (Fair Disclosure) implemented by the Securities
and Exchange
Commission provides that when the Company, or person acting
on its behalf, discloses material nonpublic information to
certain enumerated persons (in general, securities market
professionals and holders of the Companys securities
who may well trade on the basis of the information), it must
make public disclosure of that information. The timing of
the required public disclosure depends on whether the selective
disclosure was intentional or unintentional; for an intentional
selective disclosure, the Company must make public disclosures
simultaneously; for a non-intentional disclosure the Company
must make public disclosure promptly. Under the regulation,
the required public disclosure may be made by filing or furnishing
a Form 8-K, or by another method or combination of methods
that is reasonably designed to effect broad, non-exclusionary
distribution of the information to the public.
It is the policy of the Company that all communications with
the press be handled by the companys Investor Relations
Department.
Confidentiality of Nonpublic Information: Nonpublic information
relating to the Company is the property of the Company and
the unauthorized disclosure of such information is strictly
forbidden.
Applicability of Insider Trading Regulations to Securities
of Other Companies: The insider trading guidelines described
herein also apply to material nonpublic information relating
to other companies, including the Companys customers,
vendors or suppliers (business partners), when
that information is obtained in the course of employment with,
or other services performed on behalf of the Company. All
employees should treat material nonpublic information about
the Companys business partners with the same care as
is required with respect to information relating directly
to the Company. Please refer to the Companys Insider
Trading Compliance Manual. Any further inquiries relating
to insider trading laws should be directed to the Companys
legal department or the Companys outside counsel.
Duty to Report Inappropriate and Irregular Conduct and Violations
of theCompanys Code of Ethics
All employees, and particularly managers and/or supervisors,
have a responsibility for maintaining financial integrity
within the Company, consistent with generally accepted accounting
principles, federal and state securities laws, regulations
of the American Stock Exchange and other applicable regulatory
bodies, and the Companys Code of Ethics. Any employee
who becomes aware of any incidents involving financial or
accounting manipulation or other irregularities or potential
legal or regulatory violations or the Companys Code
of Ethics, whether by witnessing the incident or being told
of it, must report it to their immediate supervisor and to
the Companys Audit Committee. In certain instances,
employees are allowed to participate in federal or state proceedings.
Any failure to report in appropriate or irregular conduct
of others is a severe disciplinary matter. It is against Company
policy to retaliate against any individual who reports in
good faith the violation or potential violation of the Companys
Code of Ethics of another.
Political Contributions
No assets of the Company, including the time of Company personnel,
the use of Company premises or equipment and direct or indirect
monetary payments, may be contributed to any political candidate,
political action committees, political party or ballot measure
without the written permission of the legal department of
the Company.
COMPLIANCE PROGRAM
In order to implement the principles of the Companys
Code of Ethics and to establish a compliance program, the
Company has adopted the following policies: Size of the Board:
The Companys by-laws provide that the Board of Directors
shall consist of five (5) persons. The Board will periodically
review the appropriate size of the Board.
Majority of Independent Directors: It is the policy of the
Company that a majority of the directors will be non-employees
of the Company and will otherwise meet the appropriate standards
of independence. In determining independence, the Board will
consider the definition of independence under
the relevant rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange
Commission and the American Stock Exchange.
Management Directors: The Board anticipates that the Companys
Chief Executive
Officer will be nominated annually to serve on the Board.
The Board may also nominate other members of management. Chair;
Lead Independent Director: The Board will periodically appoint
a Chair. Both independent and management directors, including
the CEO, are eligible for appointment as the Chair. The Chair
or one of the independent directors (if the Chair is not an
independent director) may be designated by the Board to be
the lead independent director. The lead independent
director may periodically help schedule or conduct separate
meetings of the independent directors.
Selection of Board Nominees: The Board will be responsible
for the selection of candidates for the nomination of all
Board members. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
shall recommend candidates for election to the Board.
Board Membership Criteria: The Boards policy is to
encourage selection of directors who will contribute to the
Companys overall corporate goals of responsibility to
its shareholders and other stakeholders.
Independent Directors Discussions: It is the policy
of the Board that the independent directors, under the direction
of the lead independent director, meet separately without
management directors at least once per year to discuss such
matters as the independent directors may consider appropriate.
The Companys independent auditors, outside legal counsel,
finance staff, legal staff and other employees may be invited
to attend.
Access to Information: The Board encourages the presentation
at meetings by managers who can provide additional insight
into matters being discussed. The Companys executive
management will afford each Board member full access to the
Companys records, information, employees, outside auditors
and outside counsel.
Board Committees: The Board shall have three standing committees:
the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee and the Nominating/Corporate
Governance Committee. From time to time, the Board may establish
additional committees.
Committee Member Selection: The Board will designate the
members and Chairs of each committee. The membership of the
Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee and the Nominating/Corporate
Governance Committee shall meet all applicable criteria of
the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
and the American Stock Exchange.
Committee Functions: The Board of Directors shall adopt a
Committee Charter for each of the Audit Committee, the Compensation
Committee and the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee
which shall provide the structure and guiding principles of
such committees. The full authority and responsibilities of
each committee are fixed by resolution of the full Board of
Directors and the Committee Charter. The following is a brief
summary of the authority of each committee:
- Audit Committee. Review
the Companys financial procedures and controls; monitor
financial reporting and select and meet with independent
auditors.
- Compensation Committee.
Review and approve compensation arrangements for the Companys
executive officers and awards under employee benefit
plans, including the Companys stock option plans.
- Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee. Recommend to the full Board candidates
for election to the Board and changes to governance
policies.
Insider Trading Compliance: The Board
of Directors shall adopt an Insider Trading Compliance Program
for the purposes of educating and ensuring that all subject
persons are fully aware of the rules and regulations of the
Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to insider
trading. All Company personnel shall have full access to the
legal department of the Company and the Companys outside
counsel with respect to any insider trading questions or issues.
Financial Reporting; Legal Compliance
and Ethics: The Boards governance and oversight functions
do not relieve the Companys executive management of
its primary responsibility of preparing financial statements
which accurately and fairly present the Companys financial
results and condition, the responsibility of each executive
officer to fully comply with applicable legal and regulatory
requirements or the responsibility of each executive officer
to uphold the ethical principles adopted by the Company.
Corporate Communications: Management has
the primary responsibility to communicate with investors,
the press, employees and other stakeholders on a timely basis
and to establish policies for such communication.
Access to Legal Department and Outside Counsel: All Company
personnel shall be accorded full access to the Companys
legal department and the Companys outside legal counsel
with respect to any matter which may arise relating to the
Companys Code of Ethics.
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