Staples 2013 Annual Report Download - page 94

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We’re committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive culture, from supporting associate resource groups to partnering with
diversity suppliers. Our continued focus on attracting, developing and retaining a diverse associate base is essential to making
more happen for our customers and the communities in which we live and work.
Community - Staples is dedicated to providing education and job skills opportunities in communities where our customers
and associates live and work with a primary focus on supporting disadvantaged youth, from literacy and mentoring to career skills
development initiatives. We support these causes through corporate contributions, in-kind donations and grants from Staples
Foundation, our private charitable arm. We also encourage our associates and customers to contribute their time and resources as
well. Through our global community and giving efforts, we have helped more than 6,500 organizations in local communities
around the world.
Competition
We compete with a variety of online and traditional retailers, dealers and distributors. As we rapidly expand our assortment
of products and services, we compete with an increasing number of competitors including mass merchants such as Walmart, Target
and Tesco, warehouse clubs such as Costco, computer and electronics retail stores such as Best Buy, specialty technology stores
such as Apple, copy and print businesses such as FedEx Office, online retailers such as Amazon.com and other discount retailers.
In addition, our retail stores and delivery operations both compete with traditional competitors like Office Depot and Lyreco, as
well as numerous mail order firms, contract stationers, electronic commerce distributors, regional and local dealers and direct
manufacturers. Many of our competitors have increased their presence in our markets in recent years.
We believe we are able to compete favorably against our competitors because of the following factors: our focus on
business customers; our tenured management team's ability to respond to the dynamic markets in which we operate and the changing
needs of our customers; courteous, helpful and knowledgeable associates focused on making shopping easy for customers; a wide
assortment of products and services to meet every business need, either in stores or on our websites; fast checkout; easy to use
websites and mobile platforms; reliability and speed of order shipment; convenient store locations; hassle-free returns and
competitive prices.
Trademarks, Patents, Copyrights and Domain Names
We own or have applied to register numerous trademarks and service marks in the United States and throughout the world
in connection with our businesses. Some of our principal global and regional marks include Staples, the Staples red brick logo,
"Make More Happen", Staples the Office Superstore, the Easy Button logo, ''that was easy," Quill.com, Corporate Express and
many other marks incorporating ''Staples” or another primary mark, which in the aggregate we consider to be of material importance
to our business. While the duration of trademark registrations varies from country to country, trademarks are generally valid and
may be renewed indefinitely so long as they are in use and their registrations are properly maintained.
We own and maintain a number of products, systems, business processes and designs, many of which have been patented.
We also own copyrights for works such as packaging, training materials, promotional materials, computer software, in-store
graphics, website content and multi-media. In addition, we have registered and maintain numerous internet domain names, including
many that incorporate ''Staples.”
Available Information
We maintain a web site with the address www.staples.com. We are not including the information contained on our web
site as a part of, or incorporating it by reference into, this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We make available free of charge through
our web site our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments
to these reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish such material to, the
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").
We were organized in 1985 and are incorporated in Delaware.