“Journalism is the foundation of our business. The key to its success is trust.

“Readers trust the Chicago Tribune to provide, without bias, the information a community needs to govern itself and that individuals need to make personal choices.

“Readers expect the stories and opinions we publish to be honest, fair, accurate and as free as possible from the influence of special interests, whether public or private, commercial or political. Readers demand that we be open and candid about our relationships.

“Adherence to these fundamental values is what makes us credible. If we fail to follow them in any part of our business and our readers decide there are serious grounds to question our credibility, our future and the important role we play in society will be in great peril.

“It is vital, therefore, that everyone in the company understands and supports our journalistic foundation and recognizes the need to protect it. Senior management and editors cannot be the sole guardians of this. Our culture must be one in which employees in each department and at all levels embrace the responsibility they have to speak up if they believe our integrity is in danger of being compromised.

“Special vigilance is needed as the new media world evolves, with all the opportunities and temptations it offers to reconsider traditional standards of professional behavior. In this constantly changing environment, our credibility will be more valuable than ever to the community and our core values will be even more in need of protection.”