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Cultivating Care, Respect & Belonging Building a caring, respectful, and inclusive environment requires intentional effort, clear communication, and ongoing dedication. Contributing to Penn Mutual's Culture Numbered divider 1 Read and Follow Company Policies Understanding and committing to Penn Mutual's guidelines on care, respect, and belonging are keys to your success. Take time to learn about our policies on inclusive workplace, sharing concerns, and positive and respectful workplace. These policies define unacceptable behavior, explain how to report incidents, and describe the actions management takes against rule violations. Policies can be found in these locations: The Cube: https://thecube.pennmutual.com/teams/ethics_and_compliance(opens in a new tab) The Gateway: https://gateway.pennmutual.com/practice-management/compliance(opens in a new tab) Numbered divider 2 Model Appropriate Behavior Lead by example. Regardless of your role, you are accountable to demonstrate high standards of behavior. By being open to diverse perspectives and respecting different opinions, you set an example for others to follow. When people feel they're being treated with dignity, respect, and fairness, they'll do the same for others. Numbered divider 3 Be Curious Take time to learn how to promote care, respect, and belonging at work. Start by understanding yourself. Self-awareness shows a growth mindset and supports a caring and respectful workplace. Here are some strategies to cultivate curiosity: Challenge Your Assumptions: Be aware of your beliefs and question them. Reflect on why you think they're good or bad at something. Replace Negative Self-Talk: Swap out negative thoughts with positive affirmations. Instead of saying, "I'm bad at this," try, "I can improve with practice." Track Your Progress: Reflect on how you've grown over time. Note how your skills and knowledge have developed. Value Learning Over Succeeding: See every challenge and setback as a chance to learn. Focus on growth rather than just success. Try New Things: Embrace discomfort and take on new challenges, even if you doubt your abilities. Prove yourself wrong by trying. Numbered divider 4 Give & Seek Feedback Be open to both giving and receiving feedback! Give feedback if you see or experience disrespectful behavior. If someone asks offensive questions, makes you feel disregarded, or makes you hesitant to be yourself, speak up in a way that is comfortable for you. You can address the person directly, talk to your manager, contact HR, or submit an anonymous report through the Ethics Helpline. Receive feedback by listening and showing respect. Instead of making assumptions, ask others about their preferred work styles and what they need to feel valued. Continued Did You Know? In remote settings, virtual team-building activities can enhance feelings of belonging by up to 60%. Simple practices like virtual coffee breaks, team games, or ice-breakers to kick off a meeting can strengthen connections among remote colleagues. "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." Commitment to Ethical Standards Our Shared Commitment and Company Policies serve as our Company's Code of Conduct. Overview Our Company's Code of Conduct informs and guides the work we do everyday for our financial professionals and policyholders. We ask you to acknowledge your personal commitment to fulfilling these policies and fulfilling Our Shared Commitment. Commitment to Ethical Standards Our Commitment to Ethical Standards policy emphasizes that each of us must assure our personal interests, activities, or relationships do not compromise, or appear to compromise, our objectivity in decision-making and fulfilling our responsibilities to the Company. The Commitment to Ethical Standards policy covers Gifts & Entertainment. Gifts or entertainment from third parties can create a conflict of interest or the appearance of trying to influence business decisions. Even if you don't intend to be influenced, the perception can still harm the Company. Therefore, employees cannot accept gifts worth more than $100. We are responsible for our interactions, making them appropriate, fair, and free from any appearance of conflict. Identifying Harassment, Discrimination & Retaliation Harassment, discrimination, and retaliation are major obstacles to a healthy workplace because they create hostility, fear, and a lack of trust. In this section, you will gain a clear understanding of workplace harassment and discrimination behaviors, as well as effective strategies for responding if you encounter such situations. Harassment What is Harassment? Harassment is any behavior that makes an employee feel uncomfortable and creates an intimidating, hostile, or abusive work environment. This can be based on sex, age, race, religion, or other legally protected characteristics. Harassment can take many forms: Verbal Offensive jokes based on sex, race, religion, or other protected characteristics Racist or sexist slurs Negative comments about age, sex, race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or other protected characteristics Unwanted sexual advances or attention Threats or ridicule based on a protected characteristic Nonverbal Lewd or sexual gestures Staring, winking, or blowing kisses Intentionally blocking a person’s path Sexually suggestive or offensive texts Physical Unwanted hugging Giving unasked-for massages Touching someone's hair, body, or clothing without permission Pushing, shoving, or grabbing Visual Sharing sexual, sexist, racist, or ageist images or videos Using offensive screensavers, posters, or virtual backgrounds Sending texts, emails, or chats with sexual or stereotypical messages Spreading sexual rumors or sharing inappropriate images online Continued Cyberbullying Cyberbullying is harassment that occurs online or through electronic devices, such as social media, messaging apps, or email. While bullying isn't a criminal offense, harassment involving protected characteristics can be. Cyberbullying is especially concerning because it can be: Persistent: Digital communication is 24/7, making it hard for victims to escape Permanent: Electronic messages are often permanent if not reported and removed Hard to Notice: Cyberbullying is less visible, making it harder to recognize in a remote environment Continued Two Types of Sexual Harassment Sexual harassment is illegal under local, state, and federal law. Under Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, there are two types: 1 Quid Pro Quo ("This for That"): When someone offers a benefit or makes a threat based on sexual favors, such as a promotion in exchange for sexual acts. This is an abuse of power and occurs between someone in power and a subordinate. 2 Hostile Environment: Involves unwelcome sexual conduct, gestures, or remarks that affect an employee's work or create an offensive workplace. Examples include: persistent requests for dates, inappropriate jokes, or sexual banter—even if not intended to be hostile. The standard for evaluating sexual harassment is based on the perspective of the person who reports it. Sexual harassment can start subtly and become more intense, or it can remain subtle but still be damaging. Discrimination What is Discrimination? Discrimination is treating someone unfairly or unequally based on a legally-protected characteristic, like race or age. This type of behavior is illegal. The laws protecting against discrimination may vary by city, state, and federal levels. Here are examples of protected characteristics: Federal Standard Examples State Standard Examples Ancestry Sex/Gender (including pregnancy) Sexual orientation Domestic partnership Race National origin Religion Age (40+) Disability or need for a reasonable accommodation Need for family or medical leave Citizenship status Genetic information Military obligation or veteran status Continued Intentions Don't Equal Impact The impact of your actions matters more than your intent. Even if your intentions are neutral or positive, they can still result in negative outcomes. Here is a scenario to illustrate: Intention: A hiring manager aims to choose the most qualified candidates based on skills and experience, without bias. However, they unknowingly prefer candidates with similar educational and geographical backgrounds as themselves—affecting their selection process. Impact: This unintentional bias causes diverse candidates to be overlooked, candidates who may be equally or more qualified. As a result, the lack of diversity impacts innovation, creativity, and Company culture. Good intentions aren't enough. Negative impacts can lead to discrimination. Retaliation What is Retaliation? Workplace retaliation occurs when an employer takes negative action against you because you engaged in a protected activity, such as reporting harassment or discrimination. Fear of retaliation is one of the biggest challenges for victims or witnesses of sexual harassment when coming forward. Continued Examples of Retaliation Retaliation is illegal and often used to punish someone for speaking out against harassment or discrimination, or for cooperating in an investigation related to harassment or discrimination. Studies show that nearly 75% of those who speak up face negative consequences—emphasizing the need for awareness, protective policies, and supportive cultures. Here are some examples of negative consequences: • Intimidating Threats: After you file a complaint, you receive threatening emails from coworkers urging you to drop the claim and "stop asking for attention." • Denied Promotions: Despite positive reviews and recommendations, you're passed over for a promotion after raising a concern. • Demotion: You're moved to a position that negatively impacts your career after making a complaint. • Reduced Pay: Your employer reduces your pay or limits income opportunities by capping your hours or denying overtime. • Exclusion from Events: Coworkers and leaders leave you out of Company outings, meetings, and message chains. • Loss of Benefits: You're denied the same benefits as other employees. Such as a leader refuses to mentor you, fearing you'll make a complaint against them for racial jokes. • Fired: You're terminated shortly after filing a complaint without any explanation. • Interference with Future Employment: Your previous employer interferes with your future job opportunities by telling others you made unfounded harassment and discrimination claims. Continued Our Policy at Penn Mutual At Penn Mutual, employees will not be treated negatively for raising concerns or cooperating with investigations. We have a strict policy prohibiting retaliation against anyone who raises a concern about workplace behavior. Retaliation, like discrimination and harassment, is against the law and our Company policy. Each situation is unique. Take as many steps as you feel comfortable, but don't ignore the problem. Did You Know? Inclusive workplaces that actively combat discrimination are 1.7 times more likely to be innovation leaders in their industry. Diverse teams bring varied perspectives that drive creativity and problem-solving. The only way to stop abuse is to speak out. Even if you're not directly targeted, you're responsible for speaking up against harassment and discrimination. Bystander Intervention Bystanders play a crucial role in shaping a positive work environment by addressing harassment and discrimination. What is Bystander Intervention? A bystander is someone who witnesses harassment but isn't directly involved. Bystander intervention means taking action to stop harassment or discrimination when you see it happening. Your actions can set a positive example and help create a safe work environment. You don't need to be a hero—just take responsibility for promoting a respectful workplace. Why Don't People Intervene? There are many reasons people hesitate to intervene: Assuming someone else will act: Don't rely on others to speak up; take initiative yourself. Fear of causing trouble: Remember, harassment and discrimination violate Company policy and the law. Believing the person can handle it: It's not about whether the person can handle it—it's about supporting them and fostering a respectful workplace. Self-doubt: Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, it probably is. Uncertainty about what to do: You'll learn specific strategies for intervention in this lesson. How to Intervene Intervening doesn't mean putting yourself at risk. Here are ways to safely and effectively take action: Recognize the Situation: Notice harassment when it happens. It can be verbal, nonverbal, physical, visual, or virtual. Decide to Act: Choose to do something, whether it's direct action or seeking help. If you're uncomfortable intervening directly, enlist the help of a trusted leader or your HR business partner. Intervene Safely: Disrupt or Redirect: Change the subject or distract the harasser to diffuse the situation. For example, ask for help with something in another area. Call Out Bad Behavior: Address the behavior directly by saying, "That's inappropriate," or "Please stop." Address Later: Speak privately with the harasser to explain why their behavior was wrong. A private conversation may prevent further escalation. Talk to the Targeted Person: Offer support to the person targeted by harassment. Ask if they're okay and offer to help them report the incident. Document or Report: Keep a detailed record of what happened, including the date, time, location, and those involved. Report to HR or leadership as needed. The Importance of Bystander Action Bystanders have a unique opportunity to stop harassment and send a strong message about what behavior is acceptable at work. Your actions can empower coworkers and strengthen your team's culture. Remember, harassment is everyone's problem, not just the target's or the employer's. Trust your instincts. If you see or hear something that doesn't feel right, take action. Your involvement can make a significant difference in creating a safe and respectful workplace for everyone.