Staples 2002 Annual Report Download - page 45

We have adopted a written code of ethics that applies to all of our associates, including but not limited to, our
principal executive officer, principal financial officer, and principal accounting officer or controller, or persons perform-
ing similar functions. Our code of ethics can be found at www.staples.com/about. We intend to make all required
disclosures concerning any amendments to, or waivers from, our code of ethics on our website.
Item 11. Executive Compensation
The information required by this Item will appear under the heading ‘‘Executive Compensation’’ and ‘‘Corporate
Governance—Director Compensation’’ in our Proxy Statement, which sections are incorporated herein by reference.
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
The information required by this Item will appear under the headings ‘‘Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock’’
and ‘‘Executive Compensation—Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans’’ in our Proxy
Statement, which sections are incorporated herein by reference.
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions
The information required by this Item will appear under the heading ‘‘Corporate Governance—Certain Relation-
ships and Related Transactions’’ in our Proxy Statement, which section is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 14. Controls and Procedures
(a) Evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures. Based on their evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures
(as defined in Rules 13a-14(c) and 15d-14(c) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) as of a date within 90 days
of the filing date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, our chief executive officer and chief financial officer have
concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that information required to be
disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and
reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms and are operating in an effective manner.
(b) Changes in internal controls. There were no significant changes in our internal controls or in other factors that could
significantly affect these controls subsequent to the date of their most recent evaluation.
Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules, and Reports on Form 8-K
(a) Index to Consolidated Financial Statements.
1. Financial Statements. The following financial statements and schedules of Staples, Inc. are included as
Appendix C of this Report:
• Consolidated Balance Sheets—February 1, 2003 and February 2, 2002.
• Consolidated Statements of Income—Fiscal years ended February 1, 2003, February 2, 2002, and
February 3, 2001.
• Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity—Fiscal years ended February 1, 2003, February 2,
2002, and February 3, 2001.
• Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows—Fiscal years ended February 1, 2003, February 2, 2002, and
February 3, 2001.
• Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
2. Financial Statement Schedules. All schedules for which provision is made in the applicable accounting regula-
tions of the Securities and Exchange Commission other than the ones listed above are not required under the
related instructions or are not applicable, and, therefore, have been omitted.
3. Exhibits. The exhibits which are filed with this report or which are incorporated herein by reference are set
forth in the Exhibit Index on page D-1.
(b) Reports on Form 8-K.
No reports on Form 8-K were filed in the fiscal quarter ended February 1, 2003.
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