Unauthorized Disclosure The Executive agrees and understands that in the Executive’s position with the Company, the Executive has been and will be exposed to and has and will receive information relating to the confidential affairs of the Company Group, including, without limitation, technical information, intellectual property, business and marketing plans, strategies, customer information, software, other information concerning the products, promotions, development, financing, expansion plans, business policies and practices of the Company Group and other forms of information considered by the Company Group to be confidential or in the nature of trade secrets (including, without limitation, ideas, research and development, know-how, formulas, technical data, designs, drawings, specifications, customer and supplier lists, pricing and cost information and business and marketing plans and proposals) (collectively, the “Confidential Information”). Confidential Information shall not include information that is generally known to the public or within the relevant trade or industry other than due to the Executive’s violation of this Section 4.1 or disclosure by a third party who is known by the Executive to owe the Company an obligation of confidentiality with respect to such information. The Executive agrees that at all times during the Executive’s employment with the Company and thereafter, the Executive shall not disclose such Confidential Information, either directly or indirectly, to any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, association, trust or other entity or organization, including a government or political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality thereof (each a “Person”) without the prior written consent of the Company and shall not use or attempt to use any such information in any manner other than in connection with his employment with the Company, unless required by law to disclose such information, in which case the Executive shall provide the Company with written notice of such requirement as far in advance of such anticipated disclosure as possible. This confidentiality covenant has no temporal, geographical or territorial restriction. Upon termination of the Executive’s employment with the Company, the Executive shall promptly supply to the Company all property, keys, notes, memoranda, writings, lists, files, reports, customer lists, correspondence, tapes, disks, cards, surveys, maps, logs, machines, technical data and any other tangible product or document which has been produced by, received by or otherwise submitted to the Executive during or prior to the Executive’s employment with the Company, and any copies thereof in his (or reasonably capable of being reduced to his) possession; provided that nothing in this Employment Agreement or elsewhere shall prevent the Executive from retaining and utilizing: documents relating to his personal benefits, entitlements and obligations; documents relating to his personal tax obligations; his desk calendar, rolodex, and the like; and such other records and documents as may reasonably be approved by the Company.
Confidential Information and Non-Competition 13.1 The Executive acknowledges and agrees that in performing the duties and responsibilities of her employment pursuant to this Agreement, she will occupy a position of high fiduciary trust and confidence with the Corporation, pursuant to which she will develop and acquire wide experience and knowledge with respect to all aspects of the Business carried on by the Corporation and its Related Corporations, and the manner in which such Business is conducted. It is the express intent and agreement of the Executive and the Corporation that such knowledge and experience shall be used solely and exclusively in furtherance of the Business interests of the Corporation and its Related Corporations, and not in any manner detrimental to them. The Executive therefore agrees that, so long as she is engaged by the Corporation pursuant to this Agreement, she shall not engage in any practice or business that competes with the Business of the Corporation or its Related Corporations. It shall not be considered a violation of this Section 13.1 for the Executive to be involved as an investor or shareholder in securities issued by corporations that compete directly or indirectly with the Business, provided that such investment does not constitute more than 5% of the outstanding securities of a business or corporation whose shares trade on a recognized stock exchange.
13.2 The Executive agrees that during the Term, and following the termination of the Executive's employment for any reason, she shall treat confidentially all Confidential Information belonging to the Corporation or its Related Corporations, and shall not use or disclose the Confidential Information to any unauthorized persons, except with the prior express written consent of the Corporation, or otherwise as required by law.
13.3 The Executive further acknowledges and agrees that pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, she will acquire Company Property which is and shall remain the sole and exclusive property of the Corporation. Upon termination of the Executive's employment and this Agreement for any reason, the Executive shall return to the Corporation all Company Property, together with any copies or reproductions thereof, which may have come into the Executive's possession during the course of or pursuant to this Agreement, and shall delete or destroy all computer files on her personal computer which may contain any Confidential Information belonging to the Corporation, or its Related Corporations.
13.4 Notwithstanding the provision of 13.2 and 13.3, the Executive shall be permitted to disclose Confidential Information as required by law, regulation, government body or authority or by court order.
13.5 The Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Corporation would suffer irreparable harm in the event that any Confidential Information or other knowledge and experience acquired by the Executive in relation to the business of the Corporation were disclosed to a competitor of the Corporation or used for a competitive purpose for a reasonable period of time following the termination of her employment. Accordingly, the Executive agrees that in the event her employment with the Corporation is terminated for Cause by the Corporation, or in the event that the Executive voluntarily resigns her employment with the Corporation, neither she nor any employee or agent of the Executive shall, for a period of three (3) months from the Termination Date:
(a) be engaged, either directly or indirectly in any manner including, without limitation, as an officer, director, shareholder, owner, partner, member, joint venturer, employee, independent contractor, consultant, advisor or sales representative, in any business or enterprise which competes with the Business of the Corporation or any Related Corporation, as such business was conducted as of the Termination Date, with the exception that the Executive may be involved as an investor or shareholder in securities issued by corporations that compete directly or indirectly with the Business, provided that such investment does not constitute more than 5% of the outstanding securities of a business or corporation whose shares trade on a recognized stock exchange;
(b) solicit, entice or attempt to solicit or entice, either directly or indirectly, any customer or prospective customer of the Corporation or any Related Corporation as at the Termination Date, to become a customer of any business or enterprise which competes with the Corporation or any Related Corporation for any business as such business was conducted by the Corporation or any Related Corporation as at the Termination Date; or
(c) solicit or entice, or attempt to solicit or entice, either directly or indirectly, any employee of the Corporation or any Related Corporation as at the Termination Date, to become employed by or connected with any business or enterprise which competes with the Corporation or any Related Corporation for any business as such business was conducted by the Corporation or any Related Corporation as at the Termination Date. The restrictions set out in this Section 13.5 shall apply only within North America or to any business that directly relates to North America.
13.6 The Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Corporation will suffer harm in the event that the Executive breaches any of the obligations under this Article 13, and that monetary damages would be difficult to quantify and may be inadequate to compensate the Corporation for such a breach. Accordingly, the Executive agrees that in the event of a breach or a threatened breach by the Executive of any of the provisions of this Article 13, the Corporation shall be entitled to seek, in addition to any other rights, remedies or damages available to the Corporation at law or in equity, an interim and permanent injunction, in order to prevent or restrain any such breach or threatened breach by the Executive.
13.7 The Executive hereby agrees that all restrictions contained in this Article 13 are reasonable and necessary to protect the legitimate proprietary interests of the Corporation, and will not unduly restrict her ability to secure comparable alternative employment following the termination of her employment for any reason. If any covenant or provision of this Article 13 is determined to be void or unenforceable in whole or in part, for any reason, it shall be deemed not to affect or impair the validity of any other covenant or provision of this Agreement, which shall remain in full force and effect.
13.8 The provisions of this Article 13 shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement for any reason.
Protection of Confidential Information; Non-Competition 4.1. Executive acknowledges that:
(1) As a result of his current employment with the Company, Executive will obtain secret and confidential information concerning the business of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates (referred to collectively in this Article 4 as the “Company”), including, without limitations, financial information, designs and other proprietary rights, trade secrets and “know-how,” customers and sources (“Confidential Information”).
(2) The Company will suffer substantial damage which will be difficult to compute if, during the period of his employment with the Company or thereafter, Executive should enter a business competitive with the Company or divulge Confidential Information.
(3) The provisions of this Agreement are reasonable and necessary for the protection of the business of the Company.
4.2. Executive agrees that he will not at any time, either during the term of this Agreement or thereafter, divulge to any person or entity any Confidential Information obtained or learned by him as a result of his employment with the Company, except (i) in the course of performing his duties hereunder, (ii) to the extent that any such information is in the public domain other than as a result of Executive’s breach of any of his obligations hereunder, (iii) where required to be disclosed by court order, subpoena or other government process or (iv) if such disclosure is made without Executive’s knowing intent to cause material harm to the Company. If Executive shall be required to make disclosure pursuant to the provisions of clause (iii) of the preceding sentence, Executive promptly, but in no event more than 72 hours after learning of such subpoena, court order, or other government process, shall notify, by personal delivery or by electronic means, confirmed by mail, the Company and, at the Company’s expense, Executive shall: (a) take reasonably necessary and lawful steps required by the Company to defend against the enforcement of such subpoena, court order or other government process, and (b) permit the Company to intervene and participate with counsel of its choice in any proceeding relating to the enforcement thereof.
4.3. Upon termination of his employment with the Company, Executive will promptly deliver to the Company all memoranda, notes, records, reports, manuals, drawings, blue-prints and other documents (and all copies thereof) relating to the business of the Company and all property associated therewith, which he may then possess or have under his control; provided, however, that the Executive shall be entitled to retain one copy of such documents for his personal use and records.
4.4. During the period commencing with the start date of employment under this agreement and terminating three years after termination of employment: (A) Executive, without the prior written permission of the Company, shall not, anywhere in the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan, (i) enter into the employ of or render any services to any person, firm or corporation engaged in any business which is directly in competition with the Company’s principal existing business at the time of termination (“Competitive Business”); (ii) engage in any Competitive Business as an individual, partner, shareholder, creditor, director, officer, principal, agent, employee, trustee consultant, advisor or in any other relationship or capacity; (iv) employ, or have or cause any other person or entity to employ, any person who was employed by the Company at the time of termination of Executive’s employment by the Company (other than Executive’s personal secretary and assistant); or (v) solicit, interfere with, or endeavor to entice away from the Company, for the benefit of a Competitive Business, any of its customers. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive shall not be precluded from investing and managing the investment of, his or his family’s assets in the securities of any corporation or other business entity which is engaged in a Competitive Business if such securities are traded on a national stock exchange or in the over-the-counter market and if such investment does not result in his beneficially owning, at any time, more than 5% of any class of the publicly-traded equity securities of such Competitive Business; provided, however, that for a period commencing with the start date of employment under this agreement and terminating three years after termination of Executive’s employment (except for investments in a class of securities trading on public markets), Executive shall refer to the Company for consideration (before any other party) any and all opportunities to acquire or purchase, or otherwise make equity or debt investments in, companies primarily involved in a Competitive Business if such opportunities becomes known to Executive while he is the Chief Executive Officer of the Company. If the Company determines not to exploit any opportunity referred to in the foregoing sentence, the Company shall determine what, if anything, should be done with such opportunity. Executive shall not be entitled to any compensation, as a finder or otherwise, if either the Company or Executive introduces such opportunity to other persons, it being understood that all such compensation shall be paid to the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event the Company terminates this Agreement without “cause” or if Executive terminates this Agreement for Good Reason under Section 3.5 hereof, Executive’s obligations under this Section 4.4 shall terminate one month following termination.
4.5. If Executive commits a breach of any of the provisions of Sections 4.2 or 4.4, the Company shall have the right:
(1) to have the provisions of this Agreement specifically enforced by any court having equity jurisdiction, it being acknowledged and agreed by Executive that the services being rendered hereunder to the Company are of a special, unique and extraordinary character and that any breach or threatened breach will cause irreparable injury to the Company and that money damages will not provide an adequate remedy to the Company; and
(2) to require Executive to account for and pay over to the Company all monetary damages determined by a non-appealable decision by a court of law to have been suffered by the Company as the result of any actions constituting a breach of any of the provisions of Section 4.2 or 4.4, and Executive hereby agrees to account for and pay over such damages to the Company (up to the maximum of all payments made under the Agreement).
4.6. If Executive shall violate any covenant contained in Section 4.4, the duration of such covenant so violated shall be automatically extended for a period of time equal to the period of such violation.
4.7. If any provision of Sections 4.2 or 4.4 is held to be unenforceable because of the scope, duration or area of its applicability, the tribunal making such determination shall not have the power to modify such scope, duration, or area, or all of them and such provision or provisions shall be void ab initio.
Non Competition and Confidentiality (a) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary set forth elsewhere herein, the RSUs, the shares of common stock of the Company underlying the RSUs, or any proceeds received by the Key Person upon the sale of shares of common stock of the Company underlying the RSUs shall be forfeited by the Key Person to the Company without any consideration therefore, if the Key Person is not in compliance, at any time during the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and ending nine months following the termination of the Key Person’s affiliation with the Company and/or its subsidiaries, with all applicable provisions of the Plan and with the following conditions:
(i) the Key Person shall not directly or indirectly (1) be employed by, engage or have any interest in any business which is or becomes competitive with the Company or its subsidiaries or is or becomes otherwise prejudicial to or in conflict with the interests of the Company or its subsidiaries, (2) induce any customer of the Company or its subsidiaries to patronize such competitive business or otherwise request or advise any such customer to withdraw, curtail or cancel any of its business with the Company or its subsidiaries, or (3) solicit for employment any person employed by the Company or its subsidiaries; provided, however, that this restriction shall not prevent the Key Person from acquiring and holding up to two percent of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any corporation which is or becomes competitive with the Company or is or becomes otherwise prejudicial to or in conflict with the interests of the Company if such shares are available to the general public on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market; and
(ii) the Key Person shall not use or disclose, except for the sole benefit of or with the written consent of the Company, any confidential information relating to the business, processes or products of the Company.
(b) The Company shall notify in writing the Key Person of any violation by the Key Person of this Section 16. The forfeiture shall be effective as of the date of the occurrence of any of the activities set forth in (a) above. If the shares of common stock of the Company underlying the RSUs have been sold, the Key Person shall promptly pay to the Company the amount of the proceeds from such sale. The Key Person hereby consents to a deduction from any amounts owed by the Company to the Key Person from time to time (including amounts owed as wages or other compensation, fringe benefits or vacation pay) to the extent of the amounts owed by the Key Person to the Company under this Section 16. Whether or not the Company elects to make any set-off in whole or in part, the Key Person agrees to timely pay any amounts due under this Section 16. In addition, the Company shall be entitled to injunctive relief for any violation by the Key Person of subsection (a)(ii) of this Section 16.
Noncompetition and Confidentiality (a) The parties recognize that the employment of Executive with the Company has been and will continue to be special, unique and of an extraordinary character, and in connection with such employment Executive has and will continue to acquire special skill and training. The parties also recognize that the covenants of Executive contained in this Section 9 are an essential part of Executive’s engagement by the Company and that, but for the agreement of the Executive to comply with such covenants, the Company would not have entered into this Agreement. Executive accordingly agrees that, during the Term, (i) Executive shall not act or serve, directly or indirectly, as a principal, agent, independent contractor, consultant, director, officer, executive, employee or advisor or in any other position or capacity with or for, or acquire a direct or indirect ownership interest in or otherwise conduct (whether as stockholder, partner, investor, joint venturer, or as owner of any other type of interest), any Competing Business (defined below); provided, however, that this clause shall not prohibit the Executive from being the owner of (A) up to 5% of any class of outstanding securities of any entity if such class of securities is publicly traded or (B) any other securities owned by Executive on the date of this Agreement, and (ii) Executive shall not, in connection with or for the benefit of any person or entity engaged in the non-hazardous solid waste business, solicit, induce, divert or take away, any officer, employee or consultant of the Company.
(b) From the date hereof, Executive shall hold in secrecy for the Company all trade secrets and other confidential information relating to the business and affairs of the Company that have come or may have come to his attention during his employment with the Company, including information concerning costs, profits, markets, sales, business development plans, lists of clients or customers, lists of acquisition targets and other information about such acquisition targets and other information of a similar nature (such categories of information being referred to herein as “Confidential Information”). Executive shall not use for his own benefit or disclose to any person any Confidential Information other than in the ordinary course of the Company’s business or in response to a court order, unless such use or disclosure has the prior written authorization of the Company. Executive shall deliver to the Company, upon request, all correspondence, memoranda, notes, records, plans, customer lists, product compositions and other documents and all copies thereof, whether in hard copy form or electronically or magnetically stored, made, composed, or received by the Executive, solely or jointly with others, that are in the Executive’s possession, custody or control and that are related in any manner to the past, present or anticipated business of the Company.
(c) For the purposes of this Section 9, “Competing Business” shall mean an individual, business, corporation, association, firm, undertaking, partnership, joint venture, organization or other entity that operates non-hazardous solid waste landfills, non-hazardous solid waste collection businesses or similar facilities or businesses within a 50-mile radius of any of the landfills or similar facilities of the Company, Guarantor or any affiliate thereof.
(d) Should any portion of this Section 9 be deemed unenforceable because of the scope, duration or territory encompassed by the undertakings of the Executive hereunder, and only in such event, then the Executive and the Company consent and agree to such limitation on scope, duration or territory as may be finally adjudicated as enforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction after the exhaustion of all appeals.
(e) The covenants in this Section 9 shall be construed as an agreement ancillary to the other provisions of this Agreement, and the existence of any claim or cause of action of the Executive against the Company, whether predicated on this Agreement or otherwise, other than a claim or cause of action based on the Company’s failure to pay Executive amounts payable to Executive hereunder, shall not constitute a defense to the enforcement by the Company of this covenant.
(f) It is expressly recognized and agreed that the covenants set forth in this Section 9 are for the purpose of restricting the activities of the Executive only to the extent necessary for the protection of the legitimate business interests of the Company, and the Company and the Executive agree that said covenants are reasonable for that purpose and that such covenants do not and will not preclude Executive from engaging in activities sufficient for the purpose of earning a living.
NON-COMPETITION AND NON-DISCLOSURE (a) Upon any termination of Executive's employment hereunder pursuant to Section 4 hereof, Executive agrees not to compete with the Holding Company or its Subsidiaries for a period of one (1) year following such termination in any city, town or county in which the Executive's normal business office is located and the Holding Company or any of its Subsidiaries has an office or has filed an application for regulatory approval to establish an office, determined as of the effective date of such termination, except as agreed to pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by the Board. Executive agrees that during such period and within said cities, towns and counties, Executive shall not work for or advise, consult or otherwise serve with, directly or indirectly, any entity whose business materially competes with the depository, lending or other business activities of the Holding Company or its Subsidiaries. The parties hereto, recognizing that irreparable injury will result to the Holding Company or its Subsidiaries, its business and property in the event of Executive's breach of this Subsection 10(a) agree that in the event of any such breach by Executive, the Holding Company or its Subsidiaries, will be entitled, in addition to any other remedies and damages available, to an injunction to restrain the violation hereof by Executive, Executive's partners, agents, servants, employees and all persons acting for or under the direction of Executive. Executive represents and admits that in the event of the termination of his employment pursuant to Section 7 hereof, Executive's experience and capabilities are such that Executive can obtain employment in a business engaged in other lines and/or of a different nature than the Holding Company or its Subsidiaries, and that the enforcement of a remedy by way of injunction will not prevent Executive from earning a livelihood. Nothing herein will be construed as prohibiting the Holding Company or its Subsidiaries from pursuing any other remedies available to the Holding Company or its Subsidiaries for such breach or threatened breach, including the recovery of damages from Executive.
(b) Executive recognizes and acknowledges that the knowledge of the business activities and plans for business activities of the Holding Company and its Subsidiaries as it may exist from time to time, is a valuable, special and unique asset of the business of the Holding Company and its Subsidiaries. Executive will not, during or after the term of his employment, disclose any knowledge of the past, present, planned or considered business activities of the Holding Company and its Subsidiaries thereof to any person, firm, corporation, or other entity for any reason or purpose whatsoever unless expressly authorized by the Board of Directors or required by law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive may disclose any knowledge of banking, financial and/or economic principles, concepts or ideas which are not solely and exclusively derived from the business plans and activities of the Holding Company. In the event of a breach or threatened breach by the Executive of the provisions of this Section, the Holding Company will be entitled to an injunction restraining Executive from disclosing, in whole or in part, the knowledge of the past, present, planned or considered business activities of the Holding Company or its Subsidiaries or from rendering any services to any person, firm, corporation, other entity to whom such knowledge, in whole or in part, has been disclosed or is threatened to be disclosed. Nothing herein will be construed as prohibiting the Holding Company from pursuing any other remedies available to the Holding Company for such breach or threatened breach, including the recovery of damages from Executive.
Non Competition Non Solicitation and Confidentiality As a condition to the receipt of this Award, you must agree to the Non-Competition, Non-Solicitation and Confidentiality Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A by executing that Agreement. Failure to execute and return the Non-Competition, Non-Solicitation and Confidentiality Agreement within 120 days of the Grant Date shall constitute your decision to decline to accept this Award.
Confidentiality & Proprietary Information The Consultant acknowledges that it will be necessary for the Client to disclose certain confidential and proprietary information to the Consultant in order for the Consultant to perform their duties under this Agreement. The Consultant acknowledges that disclosure to a third (3rd) party or misuse of this proprietary or confidential information would irreparably harm the Client. Accordingly, the Consultant will not disclose or use, either during or after the term of this Agreement, any proprietary or confidential information of the Client without the Client's prior written permission except to the extent necessary to perform the Services on the Client's behalf. Proprietary or confidential information includes, but is not limited to:
a.) The written, printed, graphic, or electronically recorded materials furnished by Client for Consultant to use;
b.) Any written or tangible information stamped "confidential," "proprietary," or with a similar legend, or any information that Client makes reasonable efforts to maintain the secrecy of, business or marketing plans or strategies, customer lists, operating procedures, trade secrets, design formulas, know-how and processes, computer programs and inventories, discoveries and improvements of any kind, sales projections, and pricing information; and
c.) Information belonging to customers and suppliers of the Client about whom the Consultant gained knowledge as a result of the Consultant‘s Services to the Client. Upon termination of the Consultant's Services to the Client, or at the Client's request, the Consultant shall deliver all materials to the Client in the Consultant's possession relating to the Client's business. The Consultant acknowledges any breach or threatened breach of confidentiality under this Agreement will result in irreparable harm to the Client for which damages would be an inadequate remedy. Therefore, the Client shall be entitled to equitable relief, including an injunction, in the event of such breach or threatened breach of confidentiality. Such equitable relief shall be in addition to the Client's rights and remedies otherwise available at law. Furthermore, proprietary information, under this Agreement, shall include:
a.) The product of all work performed under this Agreement ("Work Product"), including without limitation all notes, reports, documentation, drawings, computer programs, inventions, creations, works, devices, models, works-in-progress and deliverables, will be the sole property of the Client, and Consultant hereby assigns to the Client all right, title, and interest therein, including, but not limited to, all audiovisual, literary, moral rights and other copyrights, patent rights, trade secret rights, and other proprietary rights therein. Consultant retains no right to use the Work Product and agrees not to challenge the validity of the Client's ownership in the Work Product;
b.) Consultant hereby assigns to the Client all right, title, and interest in any and all photographic images and videos or audio recordings made by the Client during Consultant's work for them, including, but not limited to, any royalties, proceeds, or other benefits derived from such photographs or recordings; and
c.) The Client will be entitled to use the Consultant's name and/or likeness in advertising and other materials.
Confidential Information Noncompetition and Cooperation The terms of the Employee Non-Competition, Non-Solicitation, Confidentiality and Assignment Agreement (the “Restrictive Covenant Agreement”), between the Company and the Employee, attached hereto as Exhibit A, shall continue to be in full force and effect and are incorporated by reference in this Agreement. The Employee hereby reaffirms the terms of the Restrictive Covenant Agreement as material terms of this Agreement.
Confidentiality, Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation Employee agrees, as a condition to Employee’s employment with the Company, to execute the Company’s standard form of Employee Non-Disclosure, Invention Release and Non-Competition Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A.
