We Keep Accurate and Honest Records
Accurate and honest records are critical to making sound business decisions and maintaining the integrity of our financial reporting. Our business information, in whatever form, must reflect the true nature of our transactions.
Creating and Managing Business Records
Every day, we create thousands of business records. These vary from customer contracts and reports for regulatory agencies, to timesheets and expense reports. At times, our email and telephone communications become business records. We count on their accuracy, completeness and truth to analyze and report on our operations and to make sound business decisions. Any business record could become public through litigation, a government investigation or a media inquiry.
For these reasons, all business records we create, in whatever form, must reflect the true nature of transactions and events. Never falsify a record or try to disguise what really happened. Avoid exaggeration, colorful language and legal conclusions in all your communications.
Under normal circumstances, we follow our records retention schedules when deciding which records to keep and which to dispose of. But there may be exceptions to this schedule, such as litigation or a government investigation. So, be sure to ask if in doubt and follow any instructions you receive.
Q & A
I am cleaning my office space and see a box of paperwork that is due for shredding according to our record retention policy. But I just heard there is a pending client matter at my workplace. What should I do?
Don’t send the box for shredding. Consult with the Law Department to see if any of the documents inside should be kept because of the client matter.
Financial Statements and Controls
We use our financial statements to prepare government returns and reports for tax, regulatory and statistical purposes. We comply with applicable accounting rules when compiling and sharing our financial information. We prepare and file our tax returns and other filings in accordance with all tax laws.
If your job involves supplying financial information to the controllership organization or the Tax Department, you must ensure it is timely. You must also certify both the accuracy of the information and your compliance with Cargill policies. Failure to provide timely and accurate information in these cases can result in significant legal and commercial risk for Cargill. Contact the Tax Department for tax-related questions and your controllership resource for finance-related questions. Review Cargill’s Financial Statement Controls Policy for guidance.