Our Approach
Public Policy
Symantec participates in the development of public policy that addresses issues affecting its industry, business, products, and customers. In partnership with business and trade organizations, we work with local, regional, national, and international lawmakers and government agencies to influence policy and legislation. This involvement allows Symantec to better accomplish its mission to protect its customers and the integrity and unimpeded flow of the world’s information.
The public policy issues we face are broad and cover many aspects of consumer privacy, online safety, securing information, and intellectual property protection. In order to ensure appropriate and consistent engagement, the
Government Affairs Team communicates regularly with internal and external subject matter experts and stakeholders on current and emerging policy and legislative issues. Their input is used to shape and align our public policy approaches and activities.
|
SYMANTEC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE
|
|
In the United States, Symantec has formed a political action committee (PAC) that makes contributions to federal candidates. The PAC is funded by voluntary donations made by eligible Symantec employees. Symantec evaluates potential recipients of PAC funds based on their support and understanding of our key public policy issues. A complete list of candidates that have received Symantec PAC contributions and total amounts contributed can be found online at .
To read more about Symantec’s policies regarding political contributions and personal political activities, please see the Symantec Code of Conduct (PDF).
|
Several issues that Symantec has addressed in its public policy outreach include:
- Patent reform and intellectual property (IP) protection—IP theft and copyright infringement have a significant impact on the software industry that can be mitigated through a combination of appropriate legislation and technical measures. Symantec works closely with governments around the world to strengthen copyright protection for software, both in digital and physical form.
- The environment, climate change, and Green IT—Symantec is engaged in policy and legislative dialogues through our membership in BICEP and support of the Waxman-Markey Climate Change legislation. Read more about our work with BICEP on our Environmental Performance page..
- Securing information—Symantec works with governments, government agencies, and organizations around the globe to support and influence legislation, policy, and public education as it relates to online crime, Internet safety, cybersecurity and privacy.
Symantec partners with and supports the efforts of various organizations that engage in shaping public policy around online safety, privacy, intellectual property, and other challenging issues.
Below are some of the organizations in which Symantec takes an active role:
- European Information Communication Telecom Association (EICTA)
- USITO*
* Denotes organizations in which Symantec employees participate directly (board or task force representation).
