Members’ Code of Conduct

[ASSOCIATION NAME], o. z.

MEMBERS’ CODE OF CONDUCT

Rules for professional and ethical conduct that protects the association’s reputation

Working draft for approval by the Committee and ratification by the General Meeting

Version: 1.0

Approved by: The Committee by resolution No. [●]; ratified by the General Meeting on [●]

Date of approval: [●]

Effective from: [●]

Document owner: Committee / [authorised person]

Article 1 – Purpose and scope

1.1. The Code sets minimum rules of conduct for members, members of the association’s bodies, working groups, volunteers and persons acting on behalf of the association or at its events.

1.2. Its purpose is to protect credibility, independence, professional reputation, a safe environment for members and the association’s good name.

1.3. The Code shall also apply to conduct outside the association’s events if a member expressly uses their membership, the association’s name or brand, or if their conduct may reasonably be perceived as acting on behalf of the association.

1.4. For non-members, the Code shall apply to the extent that they have committed to it in a contract, volunteer agreement or authorisation. For other persons, the association may address breaches by ending cooperation or participation in an activity.

Article 2 – Professional and respectful conduct

2.1. A member shall respect the dignity, privacy and professional integrity of others regardless of origin, sex, age, health, religion, opinion, employment status or another characteristic protected by law.

2.2. The following are, in particular, unacceptable: bullying, threats, sexual or other harassment, deliberate ridicule, personal attacks, retaliation and repeated disruption of discussion.

2.3. Substantive disagreement and criticism of methods, arguments or evidence shall not breach the Code if expressed appropriately and without attacking the person.

Article 3 – Professional outputs and intellectual property

3.1. Outputs prepared under the association’s name shall be subject to approval under the Statutes.

3.2. A member acting on behalf of the association shall not knowingly present a personal opinion, isolated case study, platform report or commercial material as universally valid scientific evidence.

3.3. Where there is significant uncertainty, a methodological limitation or conflicting evidence, the member shall state the context and limits of the claim.

3.4. A member shall notify the Committee or its designated person of a factual error identified in a public output without undue delay and cooperate in correcting, supplementing or withdrawing the output.

3.5. Before publishing material created by several persons, the authors shall agree on authorship and how it may be used; agreement recorded by email shall suffice.

3.6. For significant works and commercial use, agreement on authorship, licensing and the scope of use shall be made in writing. This Code does not replace a separate authorship or licensing agreement.

Article 4 – Conflicts of interest and independence

4.1. A conflict of interest arises where a personal, employment, ownership, family, political, financial or reputational interest may affect or appear to call into question a member’s impartiality.

4.2. A member shall disclose a conflict of interest in advance to the person responsible for the activity and, when speaking publicly, disclose it appropriately to the audience.

4.3. A member shall not participate in decisions on engaging a supplier or partner, accepting a grant or fee, imposing a sanction, or any other decision from which the member or a person close to or connected with them may directly benefit.

4.4. The existence of a conflict does not in itself bar participation. An undisclosed or concealed conflict shall, however, be a separate breach of the Code.

4.5. Disclosure of a conflict and the measure taken shall be recorded in the minutes or a written decision.

4.6. The association is non-political. A member may hold personal civic and political views but shall not use the association to support a political party, candidate or campaign.

4.7. No partner, donor or member shall be entitled to influence professional conclusions, topic or speaker selection or methodological recommendations in exchange for financial or other support. Paid partnerships, donations and sponsorship shall be truthfully identified in outputs and at events.

Article 5 – Misuse of membership, the brand and self-promotion

5.1. A member shall not use member meetings, the membership database, working groups or confidential discussions as a systematic sales channel.

5.2. An appropriate introduction of one’s practice, experience or solution shall be permitted if relevant to the content, transparent and free from high-pressure selling.

5.3. A member may truthfully state their membership of the association. The member shall not claim or create the impression, including by using the association’s name or logo, that the association certifies, recommends or guarantees their services, products, methods or professional competence unless the Committee has approved this in writing in advance. Membership is not certification of expertise.

5.4. Members may win work from one another, but not by misusing confidential data or membership status, or by applying pressure.

Article 6 – Confidentiality and protection of information

6.1. Confidential information shall include, in particular, non-public information about companies, campaigns, budgets, research, business problems, customers, internal conflicts and personal circumstances disclosed in a member discussion or working group. Non-public minutes, reports and disciplinary proceedings shall also be confidential.

6.2. Confidential information shall not be published, disclosed to a third party or used for personal commercial benefit without the authorised person’s consent.

6.3. The Chatham House Rule shall apply only if expressly announced for the particular meeting. Otherwise, the content of cases that members bring for discussion shall be non-public.

6.4. The duty of confidentiality shall continue after membership ends.

6.5. Confidentiality shall not prevent lawful reporting of unlawful conduct, fulfilment of a duty towards a public authority or consultation with a lawyer, accountant or auditor bound by confidentiality.

Article 7 – Public representation and the media

7.1. Official statements, press comments and responses to the media on behalf of the association shall be provided by the Chair, Vice-Chair or a person authorised by the Committee.

7.2. In a personal public statement, a member shall clearly distinguish their opinion from the association’s position where confusion may arise.

7.3. If a reputational incident occurs, a member shall not give uncoordinated statements on behalf of the association and shall promptly inform the Chair, Vice-Chair or another authorised Committee member.

Article 8 – Complaints, investigation and measures

8.1. A complaint may be submitted in writing to any Committee member or the Internal Auditor.

8.2. A complaint concerning the Chair, Vice-Chair or a majority of the Committee shall be submitted to the Internal Auditor. A complaint concerning the Internal Auditor shall be submitted to the Committee.

8.3. Where possible, a complaint should include a description of the conduct, time, place, persons involved and available evidence. An anonymous complaint shall be investigated if it contains sufficiently specific and verifiable facts.

8.4. A complainant, witness or affected person shall not be penalised for submitting a complaint in good faith. A knowingly false or vexatious complaint may breach the Code.

8.5. A complaint shall be investigated by a person or persons authorised by the Committee who have no conflict of interest; a Committee member concerned by the matter shall not participate in the investigation or decision.

8.6. The member concerned shall receive a written description of the alleged conduct and at least ten working days to respond; this period shall not prevent interim measures.

8.7. The Committee shall decide on a measure by resolution without undue delay. If the matter concerns a majority of Committee members, the General Meeting shall decide; the Internal Auditor shall request that it be convened for this purpose.

8.8. The decision, reasons and measure taken shall be recorded in writing and communicated to the member concerned and the complainant to an extent appropriate to the protection of privacy.

8.9. If persons, confidential information, property or the association’s good name require immediate protection, the Committee may temporarily restrict a person’s participation in a particular activity, access to data or use of the association’s brand pending a decision.

8.10. Measures shall be proportionate to seriousness, intent, repetition, consequences, cooperation in remedying the matter and previous breaches.

8.11. Measures may in particular include an informal warning or mediation, a written warning requiring corrective action, correction or withdrawal of a public output, removal from a role or of access to non-public data, a temporary prohibition on acting on behalf of the association or using its brand, a proposal for compensation for proven damage and, for a serious or repeated breach, expulsion under the Statutes.

8.12. Before expulsion, the member shall have the right to be heard. The member may appeal the expulsion decision to the next General Meeting under the Statutes; the Statutes shall govern the procedure during the appeal.

Article 9 – Data protection and final provisions

9.1. Report data shall be processed only to the extent necessary for investigation, decision-making, protection of rights and fulfilment of legal obligations.

9.2. Access shall be limited to persons authorised to investigate, decide, provide legal protection or exercise oversight.

9.3. The file shall be retained for 5 years from the final conclusion of the matter unless legislation, an ongoing dispute or protection of rights require a longer period.

9.4. Agreement to the Code shall form part of the membership application. The Code and amendments shall be published in a manner accessible to all members.

9.5. Interpretation of the Code shall be the Committee’s responsibility; interpretation shall not conflict with the Statutes or restrict a member’s rights beyond the Statutes and the law.

9.6. The Code shall take effect on the date stated on the title page.

In Bratislava, on ....................................

In Bratislava, on ....................................

For the Committee:

For the Committee:

____________________________

............................................Chair of the association

____________________________

............................................Vice-Chair of the association